May 30, 2008
Eastern Liaoning University Confers Lifetime Honorary Professorship
From left to right: ELU Vice Professor Duan, ELU Professor Feng, ELU Party Secretary Li, SU Board Chair Tashiro, Soka Women's College President Katsushiko Fukushima and SU Vice President Yoshihisa Baba
On May 30, 2008, Eastern Liaoning University (ELU) in Liaoning Province, China, conferred a lifetime honorary professorship upon Soka University (SU) founder Daisaku Ikeda. Mr. Ikeda was recognized for his longstanding commitment to promoting Sino-Japanese friendship and world peace as well as for his dedication to the education of youth. The conferral took place at the SU Central Tower in Hachioji, Tokyo, where ELU Party Secretary Li Shenghu entrusted the certificate to SU Board of Trustees Chair Yasunori Tashiro, who received it on Mr. Ikeda's behalf. Professor Feng Yadong, director of the ELU Administration Office, and Vice Professor Duan Wenzhi, head of the ELU Foreign Languages School, were also present.
Mr. Li remarked that it is a significant honor for ELU to appoint Mr. Ikeda, who has contributed in many ways to bilateral friendship between China and Japan, as a lifetime honorary professor of the university. In a message, Mr. Ikeda expressed his appreciation for the conferral and also extended his deep condolences to the victims of the Great Sichuan Earthquake with heartfelt prayers for the swiftest recovery of the affected area.
In 2003, Liaoning Financial College and Dandong Professional Technological College combined to become Eastern Liaoning University, the first provincial university in eastern Liaoning Province. ELU enrolls around 20,000 students including international exchange students from 60 countries, who study in ELU's 16 schools specializing in Korean studies, medicine, art and design, tourism and education. Situated in Dandong City which borders the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, ELU is considered to play an important role in fostering peace in northeast Asia.
[Adapted from an article in the May 31, 2008, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, Soka Gakkai, Japan]
