Shinnyo-en Foundation

Last December, Shinnyo-en representatives traveled to North Dakota to spread the message of Six Billion Paths to Peace and help about 250 of the high school student council members gathered find their paths to peace.
Greg Tehven, one of the young social entrepreneurs responsible for Student Today Leaders Forever (STLF)(http://www.stlf.net/) attended the Shinnyo-en Foundation’s annual peace and service retreat last summer and invited Naomi Shachter, a summer Shinnyo Fellow and Ineko Tsuchida, Associate Director of Programs to facilitate two workshops at the North Dakota Association of Student Council’s conference on December 14, 2009. Despite the -18 degree weather in Bismarck, Ineko and Naomi felt comfortable and welcomed.
The conference brings together young student council leaders from high schools across the state and over 1,300 students attended this exciting annual event. The foundation gave a Six Billion Paths to Peace t-shirt to each of the conference attendees and ignited their already sparked interest in service and peacebuilding.
Naomi and Ineko lead two workshops, the first with about 200 students, and the second about 50 to introduce the Shinnyo-en Foundation and the Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative.
The workshops continued with an interactive exercise called “What’s Important to Me” designed by Nan Peterson, service-learning director of The Blake School and the Shinnyo Senior Fellow of the Foundation. “What’s Important to Me” began with students writing brief lists of things that are important to them – from baseball to their family to the environment. They continued by walking around the room, noticing each other’s lists, and reflected on some of the important issues and aspects of their lives to gain more insights into themselves.

Following this first activity, students were invited into deeper reflection in composing a poem about their family, cultural and heritage roots through “My Roots Are” activity in the Foundation’s Reflection Cards. Finally, students took what they’d learned about themselves in the first two activities to identify what their paths to peace were. Though many of these activities are simple by design, the culmination of activities resulted in deeper connection with past experiences, present beliefs and actions and future beliefs and actions.

Young leaders from high schools in North Dakota walked away with a deeper understanding of themselves and the core message of Six Billion Paths to Peace, that is, anyone can serve and create a ripple effect of compassion to build more harmonious and peaceful world.

Grants Awarded 2009

mariko terazaki — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:11:47 +0000

2009

Asia Society

California Volunteers

City of White Plains

Destiny Arts Center

Diocese of San Jose

Environmental Science Center

Future Leaders for Peace

George Mason University

Hands on Bay Area

Manhattanville College

Pathways to Peace

Points of Light Foundation

Portland Service

Putney School Summer Program

Redwood City 2020

Seattle University’s Center for Service and Community Engagement

Stanford University Haas Center for Public Service

The Blake School

The League

Triskeles Foundation

University of California Cal Corps

University of California Peace and Conflict Studies

White Plains School District

Youth Service California

Conference Sponsorship

Character Education Partnership

National Conference on Volunteering and Service

National Service Learning Conference

National Women’s Conference

Small Contributions

Center for Sustainable Change

Impact for Youth

Interfaith Youth Core

Lend-a-Hand Foundation

Nihonmachi Little Friends

Oakland Fukuoka Sister City

Youth to Youth International

Grants 2006

Stephanie — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:18:49 +0000

Developmental Studies Center- Caring School Community Project

To support its Caring School Community program in the Placentia-Yorba Linda School District as they create caring school communities in 20 schools in the district.

Interfaith Youth Core

To support development of its Shared Value Curricula and its National Days of Interfaith Youth Service.

The Putney School- Scholarships

Mediators Foundation- Omega Institute/Global Leadership Network

To support their development of the Global Leaders Book, which will focus on Global Leadership and how to foster cross –border leadership on global issues.

White Plains Performing Arts- Diversity Theater Programs

City of White Plains- International Sculpture Exhibit

Destiny Arts Center- Non-violence and leadership programs

Foundation for Global Community- Jewish-Palestinian Peacemakers Camp

Maiden Voyage Productions- “Just Like Me, But Different”

The Mosaic Project- Peace and Diversity Outdoor School

National Youth Leadership Council- Resources for Recovery

Pathways to Peace- “We the Peoples Website” and International Peace Day

The River School- Ho’ala Philosophy Teacher Training
To support in developing and sharing its Hoa’la Education Model with other teachers and parents.

Seattle University’s Center for Service

UC Berkeley Cal Corps Public Service Center

To support the University of California, Berkeley’s Reflection in Leadership Project, which seeks to enable 300 student leaders of community based service projects to explore the importance of reflection and spiritual practice in order to improve their own service as well as to sustain themselves for a lifetime of engaged service.

White Plains School District- Eastview Middle School

To support its Youth Summits for Global Harmony program and the international dialogue amongst teachers and students all over the world.

City of Yorba Linda- Coordinated Approach to Childhood Health Collab.

White Plains School district- Eastview Middle School

To support its Youth Summits for Global Harmony program and the international dialogue amongst teachers and students all over the world.

Burlingame High School
Support of Burlingame High School and their second Camp Everytown experience. Camp Everytown is an intensive, transformative youth leadership development program that seeks to break down prejudices and attitudes of discrimination.

Happy New Year

mariko terazaki — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:15:54 +0000

California Women’s Conference – Haru Inouye, CEO

abigail — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:48:49 +0000

The 2009 California Governor and First Lady’s Women’s Conference in Long Beach, California gave inspiration to thousands of women. The conference featured a prestigious group of speakers including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, First Lady Maria Shriver, Katie Couric, Madeleine K. Albright, Sir Richard Branson, Dr. Jane Goodall, Geena Davis, Elizabeth Edwards and Caroline Kennedy. An estimated 25,000 attended the two-day series of events. Shinnyo-en Foundation CEO Haru Inouye inspired many of the attendees by introducing the idea of Six Billion Paths to Peace and the potential for women to positively impact society.

California Women’s Conference – Highlights

abigail — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:48:40 +0000

Shinnyo-en Foundation Sponsors Premier Women Conference in Long Beach

mariko terazaki — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:15:23 +0000

First Lady Maria Shriver and Foundation CEO, Haru Inouye

Somaly Man

In a morning session focusing on themes of self-worth, empowerment and leadership, Somaly Mam, a native of Cambodia who was sold into sex slavery as a child told her story. Somaly Mam, was born in Cambodia and was forced into sex slavery at a very young age. After escaping she established in 1966 an organization – Acting for Women in Distressing Circumstances that has, to date, saved more than 5,000 people.

In a roundtable discussion Gov. Schwarzenegger stressed the importance of women in his decision-making, noting that half of his staff consists of women.

Maria Shriver, Nichelle Blanco and Jennifer Day

Maria Shriver said: “I am honored to again be hosting what has become the nation’s premier forum for women,” said Shriver. “With this year’s theme of Be Who You Are…An Architect of Change. Pass it On, The Women’s Conference seeks to inspire women to see themselves as advocates for their own lives, activists in their communities and the architects of change for our world.”

Shriver started a new event at this year’s conference, A Day of Transformation, which expanded The Women’s Conference 2009 to a full two-day event. The Day of Transformation was sponsored by the Shinnyo-en Foundation and ran from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, October 26.

Maria Shriver

A Day of Transformation included special educational sessions on the “Tips and Tools for How To Become an Architect of Change.” The attendees learnt about: How to start your own business; How to start a non-profit; How to get a job, How to write your own book and get it published; How to sell yourself, and How to break the cycle of stress.

In his opening speech Haru Inouye, CEO of the Shinnyo-en Foundation said: “… our Foundation is funded by Shinnyo-en a Buddhist order whose leader is a woman. Her Holiness Shinso Ito, is an Archbishop, the highest rank in Buddhism. Her mother, Tomoji Ito, devoted her life to serving others. She was the first woman in the 1,000-year history of Daigoji monastery in Kyoto to receive the rank of Archbishop as a lay-woman. Tomoji was also a wife and mother and she often shared Buddhist teachings while she was working in the kitchen or doing laundry demonstrating the teachings in real life.

Shinnyo-en Foundation CEO, Haru Inouye

Right up until her last breath, she was still thinking of helping others. Tomoji’s daughter Shinso was so inspired by her mother that she followed in her footsteps. And today, Shinso Ito is the Archbishop of Shinnyo-en Buddhism with over one million followers around the world. 12 years ago, she became the first woman in the in 1,135 year history to officiate at the Daigoji temple.” This amazing story of a mother and daughter – devoting their lives for others – touched the hearts of the participants and left many women inspired to make a difference in their lives and that of others.

The Shinnyo-en Foundation’s booth saw thousands of women who stopped by to have a fruit juice – donated by Jamba Juice – or a wonderful and relaxing massage donated by the Dean of Student Affairs of the Corinthian Colleges. The students offered their calming services for the women who left refreshed. Many booth visitors learned about the work and activities of the Foundation and left saying that they would like to keep in touch and learn more about the various projects and initiatives.

Foundation Winner Nancy holds up her new digital camera

The highlight at the booth were the various Raffle Prizes that were given to the lucky winners at the draw! Nancy Thigin, the happy winner of the digital camera said: “What a great win! I’ve been reading awesome reviews about it and I’d been looking into buying a new one for some time…so this is perfect! I am really grateful to you guys.”

Joyce who won the IPod said: “Thank you so much for the IPod…..I checked your website and found what you’re doing is really meaningful! I will tell all my friends about “Six Billion Paths to Peace.”

Foundation Winner Joyce with her new IPod

The first day of the conference ended with Night at The Village, a series of interactive experiences, offering attendees the chance to “Meet, Mix and Mingle with Architects of Change.” The Village provided opportunities for thousands of women to network, connect, commit to service, meet companies making a difference in California, and learn to live healthier, fuller lives.

For those who could not attend, many women also watched the conference live on its Web site at CaliforniaWomen.org.

The conference is often referred to as “the conference with a conscience,” and it is produced by the non-profit organization, the California Governor & First Lady’s Conference on Women.

The Women's Conference 2009

Proceeds from The Women’s Conference, Night at The Village and A Day of Transformation benefited the conference’s WE Programs, which seek to empower women all year round. The non-profit, non-partisan Women’s Conference organization, also known as the California Governor and First Lady’s Conference on Women, has formed partnerships with organizations in the U.S. and abroad to develop ongoing and far-reaching women’s empowerment programs.

Please go here to see the video of the speakers from this years Conference.