"History is filled with tragic examples of wars that result from diplomatic impasse. Whether in our local communities or in international relations, the skillful use of our communicative capacities to negotiate and resolve differences is the first evidence of human wisdom."

"I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind."

"I have for some time urged that a nuclear abolition summit to mark the effective end of the nuclear era be convened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 70th anniversary of the bombings of those cities, with the participation of national leaders and representatives of global civil society."

"No one is born hating others."

"A genuinely happy person is one who has rendered others happy."

"The wisdom and experience of older people is a resource of inestimable worth. Recognizing and treasuring the contributions of older people is essential to the long-term flourishing of any society."

"The idea of interdependence is central to Buddhism, which holds that all things come into being through the mutual interactions of various causes and conditions."

"But I think we need to remember that democracy everywhere is by its nature incomplete, a work in progress."

"Having lived through the transition from totalitarianism, I am acutely mindful of the need to never take for granted the basic freedoms of thought, expression and belief that democracy brings."

"Poems and songs penned as an unstoppable outpouring of the heart take on a life of their own. They transcend the limits of nationality and time as they pass from person to person, from one heart to another."

"Divorced from the cosmos, from nature, from society and from each other, we have become fractured and fragmented."

"Where there is an absence of international political leadership, civil society should step in to fill the gap, providing the energy and vision needed to move the world in a new and better direction."

"Leave behind the passive dreaming of a rose-tinted future. The energy of happiness exists in living today with roots sunk firmly in reality's soil."

"The effects of human rights education can be dramatic in awakening people to the value and power of their own lives, as shown in the following stories."

"All people have a natural desire to be needed, to have their importance to others tangibly confirmed."

"Leadership that exploits and sacrifices young people on the altar of its goals is nothing more than raw, demonic power. Genuine leadership is found in ceaseless efforts to foster young people, to pave the way forward for them."

"A commitment to human rights cannot be fostered simply through the transmission of knowledge. Action and experience play a crucial role in the learning process."

"To communicate the truths of history is an act of hope for the future."

"The eyes of a poet discover in each person a unique and irreplaceable humanity. While arrogant intellect seeks to control and manipulate the world, the poetic spirit bows with reverence before its mysteries."

"It is natural for us, as human beings, to look forward. Our eyes naturally look ahead. In this sense, we are made for moving toward a goal."

"In the past, human society provided encouragement and opportunity for people to extend support to each other, especially in highly stressful situations."

"The crucial thing is to arouse the awareness that as a matter of human conscience we can never permit the people of any country to fall victim to nuclear weapons, and for each individual to express their refusal to continue living in the shadow of the threat they pose."

"When one takes action for others, one's own suffering is transformed into the energy that can keep one moving forward; a light of hope illuminating a new tomorrow for oneself and others is kindled."

"A healthy vision of the future is not possible without an accurate knowledge of the past."