Peace, justice and poetry
Peace is not just the absence of war. Appeals are often made for the ideals of "peace and justice" but most of the time they fi nally end up as mere slogans. In the dialo- go contained in this book, Stuart Rees and Daisaku Ikeda share their ideas and visions on how to create the conditions for peace through deep awareness, a commitment for nonviolence as a "law of life" and an unwavering dedication. It is the belief of the authors that it is in fact these concrete elements, and not an ideology or abstract thought, that will make possible a society that cultivates the dignity of all people. Infi ne, Rees and Ikeda sot- toline how the "poetic spirit" is an excellent creative tool for imagining and realize a future in which peace and justice are one.
This text concludes the cycle of four publications on the theme of peace and nonviolence that Esperia has published over the past 3 years: "the Buddhist teacher of a Baptist pastor" on the fi - gura of Ikeda by Baptist pastor Dr. Carter, "an economy for people" the dialogue with renowned Chinese economist Lau, "toward a century of peace" dialogue with Professor Clements, former director of the Toda institute for peace, and now precisely the latter with Professor Rees. These titles delineate Sensei's vision of peace and nonviolence and are books that will in time will certainly become cornerstones of Ikeda's catalog in Italian.
Peace, Justice and Poetry offers a fascinating and compelling analysis of the ills that af- fl igate our society. It also points to a nonviolent path that leads to an authentic peace and offers those who seek peace the encouragement and inspiration they they need.
- Joseph Camilleri, professor emeritus of In ternational Relations, La Trobe University, Melbourne
