Opening
At 11am Japan time on May 15, the SOPP began its live-stream broadcast on YouTube and Facebook. Opening with magnificent scenes of natural beauty and a sweeping aerial view of Fuji Sanctuary, the video then moved to opening remarks from Yuka Saionji, Deputy Chairperson of Byakko Shinko Kai.
Opening remarks from Yuka Saionji
Hello, good morning, good afternoon, and good evening to everyone around the world. Thank you so much for joining us in the 18th annual Symphony of Peace Prayers. This year, our theme for the SOPP is drawing out the love in our hearts to heal the world. The current situation of the world today, with so many conflicts, divisions, and crises all over the place, is the result of the way we as human beings have lived, thought, and acted in this world. And more than ever, it is time for us to stop and go back to our true selves, to bring out our divine spark, and to bring out the love that we have in our hearts. And that is the way we heal the earth and the world.
And so today, we invite you to join us in praying together, to offer our prayers from our hearts, for the awakening of humanity and for healing the world.
In the opening statement of Chairperson Masami Saionji, she has written:
“This mysterious life power is also given to human beings. Humans, animals, and plants are all sacred and interconnected through the life power that we share. From moment to moment, we human beings must live with respect toward the sanctity of life. Now, more than ever, humankind needs to reconnect with this sacred life power … With today’s SOPP ceremony, I believe that we can open our hearts and activate the sacred divine power that dwells within, letting it surge forth and bloom, enveloping the earth in the healing vibrations of our world peace prayers … let us bring that power together and take one more step forward toward the era of humanity’s divine reawakening.”
Today, with deep regret, Masami Sensei won’t be joining us live from Fuji Sanctuary, because yesterday morning she was engaged in a special divine activity and was divinely guided to go to Okinawa. She has been offering her prayers there, and the plan is for her to move to the Japan Sea coast today, to offer harmonizing prayers in that area. So, with deep regret, she won’t be joining us live, but she is with us in spirit and with her prayers. She asks each one of us to bring forth our divine spark and offer our prayers during the SOPP, because that is the energy that the world needs so much today.
This year again, we have wonderful prayer leaders who have offered us their messages and their peace prayers. We also have a special program for the seventh anniversary celebration of the Fuji Declaration. We also have two special guests who have offered their messages to the SOPP. And in the last half of the program, we have lots of beautiful images, videos, and music so that we can really draw out the love within, to connect to our divine spark and spread our prayers all over the world and to all of the earth. Thank you so much for joining us today.
Firstly, we will begin by showing you a little bit of the history of the Symphony of Peace Prayers and the past 18 years of this event. For those who have been participating in the SOPP, especially from Fuji Sanctuary, you will see images of the past where we gathered at Fuji Sanctuary. And for those who are joining us for the first time, we invite you to look at the 18-year history of our SOPP.
In a slideshow-style presentation, images from past SOPP ceremonies were shown on screen as Yuka’s narration introduced the SOPP and its history. The presentation highlighted the many thousands of participants that have gathered at Fuji Sanctuary in past years, the SOPP ceremonies that have taken place in locations around the world (including at the United Nations in 2013), and the inauguration of the Fuji Declaration.
After the presentation, the broadcast proceeded to a welcoming address from Byakko President Tomohiko Naya.
Welcoming address
Tomohiko Naya, President of Byakko Shinko Kai
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who are taking part in the 18th annual Symphony of Peace Prayers ceremony. This year, we are once again holding the ceremony online via live stream on YouTube, and much like last year, I think that many of you will be using your program guide to join in the ceremony. I am deeply grateful for the large circle of prayer that has been created for this year’s SOPP.
Today, religious prayer leaders will lead us via video in their precious prayers for peace. All of us will pray for peace together with them, and we will pray for peace in each country and region of the world. I believe that these prayers will envelop all of nature and all living things on the planet, delivering the light of hope and healing all across the earthly world.
On this planet Earth, we human beings coexist with and are connected with Mother Nature, and we revitalize one another. Now, I believe, is the time for us to look beyond all differences and earnestly turn our hearts to the truth that all life is equally sacred and precious.
In presiding over the SOPP, it is my sincere wish that today will be an opportunity for all of us to envision and create a brighter future, in order to fundamentally change the consciousness of humanity. I hope that the SOPP will be the cornerstone to support you in these efforts, and I take heartfelt pride in carving out a new tomorrow together with all of you.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the prayer leaders and speakers for their wonderful contributions, to everyone who sent messages of support for today’s event, to friends of the SOPP working in various fields around the world, and to all of our prayer colleagues for your invaluable support and cooperation, both material and spiritual.
To conclude, let me express how grateful I feel to be able to join in prayers with all of you today, connected through the SOPP in our consciousness of oneness and in our wish for a new world.