The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams received a courtesy visit from Mr. Cliff Sawyer, USA Leader of Sōka Gakkai International (SGI) at her Cabinet on Tuesday. Sōka Gakkai is a lay Buddhist movement linking more than 12 million people around the world. SGI members integrate Buddhist practices into their daily lives based on the teachings of Nichiren, a 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest. It is a lay Buddhist movement within the school of Nichiren Buddhism.
Within the Community of St. Maarten there is a significant SGI following with many practitioners found throughout the community from various backgrounds. Sōka Gakkai members on St. Maarten not only practice the Buddhist faith but are also involved in various community improvement projects.
The Prime Minister and Mr. Sawyer discussed various aspects of SGI within the community and the Buddhist Faith on St. Maarten. Sōka Gakkai International currently consists of 84 constituent organizations and has 12 million members in 192 countries and territories worldwide. The SGI was founded on January 26, 1975 on the island of Guam by Daisaku Ikeda and the growth of its membership has been attributed in part to the organization’s tradition of small group, neighborhood and local community discussion meetings.