Vulnerability + Empathy = World Peace

A simple equation, and it starts with trouble on a huge scale: the whole world, any place at all, is vulnerable to earthquake, pestilence, flood, drought, tsunami and any number of natural disasters. The following excerpt from The Japan Times online suggests some steps toward building the resilience that enables recovery from large-scale disasters. The excerpt is from a proposal by Daisaku Ikeda of Soka Gakkai International.



"I believe that immeasurable value could be brought to an entire region through cooperation regarding extreme weather and disasters among neighboring countries — the possibility of transforming their understanding of and approach to security.

Above all, the unpredictable nature of extreme weather and natural disasters and the sense of vulnerability they provoke can open the door to empathy and solidarity across national borders.

Furthermore, measures to enhance security in this way would not lead to what has been called the “security dilemma,” a vicious cycle in which the steps that one state takes to heighten security are perceived by other states as an increased threat, causing them to respond with similar measures, only leading to further mistrust and tension. The knowledge, technology and know-how that facilitates cooperation in the area of disaster relief is such that its value to all parties is enhanced through sharing."

Daisaku Ikeda is president of Soka Gakkai International and founder of the Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research. His 2014 peace proposal can be read at ⤢www.sgi.org.