“It is only through the trials of life that we can achieve true enlightenment.”
- Shinjo Ito
- Shinjo Ito
Shinnyo-en USA
www.shinnyoenusa.net
Na Lei Aloha Foundation
www.naleialoha.org
Lantern Floating Hawaii
www.lanternfloatinghawaii.com
Global Shinnyo-en Website
www.shinnyoen.org
Exhibition of the Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito web site
www.shinjoito.com
The Univers Foundation
www.univers.or.jp/index2.html
November 6, 2010 by
November first is Día de Todos Santos or All Saints Day, which is widely celebrated in Latin America (many Americans are familiar with the Mexican commemoration of this feast day, Día de los Muertos). This Catholic celebration holds special significance in Guatemala, and it is given as a national holiday. I took the opportunity to [...]
November 1, 2010 by
On July 22-26, 2010, eight Catholic teens from the Diocese of San Jose and six Shinnyo-en Buddhist teens from the San Francisco Bay area and Chicago, paticipated in an interfaith immersion trip to New Mexico. I facilitated this trip and worked with Los Niños International to coordinate the volunteer and cultural experiences for our group. [...]
November 1, 2010 by
Her Holiness connected deeply with so many participants at The Women’s Conference in Los Angeles on October 25th. The content and presentation of her remarks were professional, personal, and powerful. How lovely Her Holiness looked! Her hair was beautiful; her suit simple and elegant; her scarf matched the set background. Her gentle beauty and soft [...]
November 1, 2010 by
Her Holiness Shinso Ito receives standing ovation from over 5,000 women at Women’s Conference on Oct. 25th. Click here and be inspired! More than 30,000 women from all walks of life gathered at the 2010 Women’s Conference hosted by California First Lady Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, at the Long Beach Convention Center from October [...]
October 31, 2010 by
The Guatemalan school year is from February to October. So, not only is it coming to the end of the calendar year, we have also reached the end of the academic year. In addition to our youth, Safe Passage also supports the learning of about 80 parents in our Adult Literacy program. The Adult Literacy [...]
October 31, 2010 by
Guatemala’s 36-year civil war created the neighborhood that I now work in. The conflict raged through the countryside, particularly in the highlands where indigenous people worked the land. The commonly accepted estimate is that 200,000 civilians died and/or disappeared (who are presumed dead, but their bodies were never found) n the civil war. It is [...]
October 30, 2010 by
For anyone who knows anything about Latin American culture, you know the quinceañera is a big deal. The quinceañera is a girl’s coming out party, signifying her transition into womanhood. She puts on makeup, has her hair done, wears heels and dances her first dance. Quinceañeras are elaborate affairs, and can be as big of [...]
October 23, 2010 by
October 23, 2010 August 12, 2010 marked the beginning of the International Year of Youth (IYY). IYY is sponsored by the UN, particularly as a way to put more focus toward youth development and the Millenium Development Goals having to do with youth. UN bodies whose work is relevant to youth have a representative on [...]
October 16, 2010 by
There is a storied tradition of elaborate going-away parties, despedidas, in Guatemala. This is certainly the case at Camino Seguro. Unfortunately, we’ve had several despedidas in the past few months, as the Executive Director, Volunteer Coordinator and Adult Literacy Coordinator have decided that after a number of years of service from each, it was time [...]
October 9, 2010 by
Every year, Guatemala celebrates Día de Niños, or Kids’ Day. This day is devoted to making children happy. There are celebrations across Guatemala. Businesses have fundraisers for children’s hospitals. More affluent Guatemalans donate toys and games to less moneyed families. In a place where there often isn’t enough for small treats, Kids Day is a [...]
Ms. Nan Peterson is the Director of Service Learning for The Blake School located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is also the first and only Senior Fellow of the Shinnyo-en Foundation. Read more...
