October 12, 2014
Bhopal
The exhibition ‘Seeds of Hope – Visions of Sustainability, steps toward change’ was inaugurated in Bhopal, at Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology on October 12, 2014.

The Chief Guest, Mr. Anthony de Sa, Chief Secretary, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, in his address appreciated the efforts of Bharat Soka Gakkai which is working for peace through culture and education. He drew the attention of the audience to the title of the exhibition which he said “says it all”. Explaining further he said that we all must have two visions for sustainability; first having the community vision which is working collectively towards sustainable development and second to have an individual vision. Citing the fable of the ‘Goose that lay golden eggs’ he related it to the concept of sustainability where he mentioned that when we overdraw on our resources, we are treading a dangerous path. Mr. De Sa believed that “The power of one will empower many”.

Dr. R. N. Saxena, MD State Forest Development Corporation, the guest of honour, highlighted that sustainability should be brought in the legal framework of the country. He emphasised that all resources of mother earth do not belong to a particular generation, rather we are the custodians for the future generations.

Speaking to the audience, Prof. Pramod K Verma, Director General, Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology, emphasised the need to redefine sustainability as part of our daily life. He affirmed his full cooperation towards such initiatives.

Earlier during the inauguration Mrs Jyoti Lal from BSG welcomed the gathering. Citing the example of the Nobel laureates, Mr. Kailash Satyarthi and Ms. Malala Yousafzai, she stressed that the power of one is the power of hope and how a single individual can show the power of change.

Mr. Ram Naresh Yadav, Honourable Governor of Madhya Pradesh, who could not be present due to important engagements, sent a message for this great cause in which he applauded the efforts of Soka Gakkai International and urged every individual to bring a positive change from within so that we can improve not only our present but also leave a better future for our coming generations.

The activities of the inauguration included welcoming of dignitaries with plant saplings by children, signifying the pledge to work towards leaving a better world for generations to come. This was followed by a dance performance depicting the joy of nature and a skit on the theme of the exhibition. The audience were captivated by the screening of the award winning film ‘The Quiet Revolution’ which resonated with the message of “the power of one”.

The chief guest and guest of honour were presented with a copy of the book, ‘A Forum for Peace’ which is a collection of excerpts from the most topical and important peace proposals of SGI President Dr Daisaku Ikeda.

The inauguration ceremony ended with a vote of thanks by Mrs. Kiran Mishra from BSG Bhopal.

Well known personalities from the institutions of national repute were present at the inaugural function which included, Director, MANIT (Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology), Director Indian Institute of Forest Management, Director General M.P. Police, and scientists from the Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology and other distinguished personalities from various fields. Approximately, 700 people saw the exhibition on the day of inauguration.

This exhibition was launched for the public at Regional Science Center, Shyamla Hills, today 13th October, 2014 at 10 am and will be displayed here for the entire next week from 13th – 19th October 2014 for public viewing.