Fuji Declaration Presentation

Fuji Declaration Presentation

Byakko Deputy Chairperson Yuka Saionji thanked the prayer leaders for their contributions to this year’s ceremony. “Through your prayers,” she said, “we feel that our vertical connection with the divine and our horizontal connection deepen more and more.”

Yuka also took a moment to mention Fr. Muhindo Mapendo Kasongo Pascal in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who led the Christian prayer at the 2023 SOPP. She noted that there are still many terrorist attacks taking place in the DRC, with a great deal of chaos and fear felt among the people. Fr. Pascal is doing his peace work in the midst of those difficult circumstances, serving as a big, bright light for the people, and she invited participants to send him a prayer as well.

She then introduced the next portion of the program, the Fuji Declaration Presentation, emceed by Maki Saionji.

Maki Saionji

The Fuji Declaration was launched in 2015 and is now celebrating its 10th anniversary, a milestone. The Fuji Declaration is a declaration that was created based on the deep recognition that the divine and good spirit resides in the essence of human nature.

We are convinced that the way to true peace is for more and more people to awaken to the essence of what the Fuji Declaration advocates and to embody it in their daily lives. We hope that today, the 10th anniversary of the Fuji Declaration, will be an opportunity for you to reflect once again on the spirit of the Fuji Declaration.

Today, we have received messages from the co-sponsors and overseas supporters of the Fuji Declaration, expressing their thoughts on the Fuji Declaration and the hope for the future that is entrusted to it. We would also like to introduce the “21-Day Challenge” as an effort to put the Fuji Declaration into practice in our daily lives.

Now, to begin, I would like to hear messages from the co-founders of the Fuji Declaration, Dr. Ervin Laszlo, Masami Saionji, and Hiroo Saionji, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary, together with you.

Dr. Ervin Laszlo

Ten years in the life of the Fuji Declaration—eventful years. Years in which the relevance and the importance of the message of the Fuji Declaration has grown immeasurably—grown to the extent where we say that unless this message is taken seriously and is acted upon, the future for humanity is dismal.

But there are hopeful signs that we are taking the message seriously. Now, what is this message? The message is basically that we are not alone, left to our own devices on this planet. We are part of a divine plan. It’s known as the divine spark. I argue that this spark is rooted deep in the cosmos. It is in all healthy organizations present. It is present in all planets where life survives in this universe.

We are a species that has illuminated, and continues to illuminate, a divine spark. The divine spark is best expressed as love, unconditional love. We ask only to realize—to achieve—what is patent, what is latent, what is potential in us.

We are a body that can grow together, and become one. This oneness is no longer in the realm of potentiality—no longer in the realm of fantasy, of imagination. It is a real asset for humanity. With every cell in our body, we too are imbued with a feeling—with a sense, with a potential—to grow together. To live not only side by side, and possibly in conflict, but to live together, to share the planet. The Fuji Declaration’s message is that we can make it on this planet because we have the divine spark.

This spark has brought us where we are today up to here, but it cannot take us much longer, and we have reached a critical decision point in which we either change the paradigm to one of mutual love and appreciation and collaboration, or we are facing extinction.

We are ten years down this road since the Declaration was signed. In the next ten years the Fuji Declaration’s effect on inspiring solidarity and love must become effective, must become evident, because there is not much more time. We have to change—change the paradigm of how we live, how we love, and how we act together.

The Fuji Declaration shows the way—shows that we have this divine empowerment to live a life which is satisfactory for all, that we can all share on this planet, that we can all become as one.

Thank you, and I hope to visit with you soon again regularly as we trace a pathway toward love and understanding on our beautiful, precious planet.

Masami Saionji

Today, we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Fuji Declaration. It is with heartfelt gratitude that I welcome each and every one of you gathered here.

At this moment in history, the world is experiencing profound fragmentation—between nations, between cultures, between humanity and nature, and between our technological advancements and the human spirit. Dividing lines are being drawn across all domains of life.

Yet, it is precisely because we find ourselves in such a time of division that we are called to reaffirm our commitment to unity. To respect diversity is not merely to acknowledge differences, but to perceive the underlying thread of connection that binds us all. It is from this awareness that genuine harmony and mutual respect arise.

The Fuji Declaration was born from a deep conviction—that while life manifests in infinite diversity, all have the divine spark inherently. Ten years ago, I stood at a crossroads. I questioned whether we could truly declare that “all human beings have the divine spark.” And yet, as I reflect today, I know in my heart that affirming this truth was not only necessary, but essential.

Over the past decade, an increasing number of individuals have come to embrace the divine spark at the heart of humanity. My sincere hope is that all people will come to live from this awareness—reaching out, heart to heart, to build a world founded upon dignity, compassion, and peace. Let us no longer live simply to shield ourselves from fear or uncertainty, but rather, let us live each day as an opportunity to express the divine spark within us. Every such step we take becomes a building block for a peaceful world.

The Fuji Declaration will continue to serve as a beacon, supporting the transformation of human consciousness. If each one of us is not aware of our divinity, our world cannot truly be transformed.

When we share the message of the Declaration and embody its spirit in our daily lives, we inspire others across borders and beliefs to awaken to their own divine spark. In such a world, mutual support, heartfelt prayer, and peaceful coexistence will no longer be aspirations, but natural expressions of the human spirit.

And this collective journey forward is not one we walk alone. We are supported by unseen companions—those who watch over us from beyond, and those whose physical limitations may prevent them from joining us in person, yet whose presence, courage, and quiet strength resonate deeply within this unfolding movement. Let us rise together, and move forward with shared purpose.

Hiroo Saionji

The Fuji Declaration was launched ten years ago, and I would like to share my thoughts on what the Fuji Declaration is all about.

As you know, in the 14th century, a great cultural movement called the Renaissance took place in Europe. It was a reevaluation of the culture and art of the ancient Roman and Greek eras, and in Japanese, it is called a “literary revival.” From a larger perspective, it was also a major movement to liberate humanity from feudal society, which was considered a dark age at the time.

The Fuji Declaration, when compared to the Renaissance of the 14th century, I think of  as a spiritual renaissance. In other words, it is a spiritual revival. What I mean by this is that in today’s modern society, all values are materialistic. We are in an age in which the emphasis on materialism has caused us to lose sight of the spirituality of human beings. In other words, I see the Fuji Declaration as a spiritual renaissance in the sense of liberating spirituality from materialistic values.

The Fuji Declaration has two important spiritual components. As Masami Saionji mentioned, one is, as we call it in English, divine spark—the revival of the value that human beings are inherently good and sacred. And the other is that all human beings are living in connection with each other, with all lives, and with the universe. By doing so, we will make the world a peaceful place.

When you look at the world today, you may feel that the world is moving in the opposite direction. However, among those who have a good heart, I spoke to a person from overseas the other day, and he is very much in favor of this way of thinking.

Therefore, I would like to make a declaration that we will gradually expand the network of people and organizations that share these values. We have had many people sign the declaration and we are also collecting signatures, but I think that expanding this network is the most important thing.

At the same time, it is not easy to change the mindset of eight billion people. Therefore, one thing I hope for is the development of science and technology. I hope that they will prove the values we strive for, or rather, that science can make people feel that way. Especially with the recent development of AI, for example, human consciousness will move in the right direction.

I would be very happy if such development of AI, for example, will help human consciousness to move forward and evolve in the right direction. We would like to spread the important values of the Fuji Declaration throughout the world through various opportunities, and I hope that each of you will cooperate with us to further develop the Fuji Declaration, and I hope that each of you will join me in further promoting the development of the Fuji Declaration. Thank you very much.