In a bid to promote awareness and gain support towards the abolishment of nuclear weapons, TAR UC in collaboration with Soka Gakkai Malaysia organised a rather informative exhibition entitled "Everything You Treasure: For a World Free from Nuclear Weapons" which began on 31 October 2016 with an opening ceremony held at TAR UC Main Hall. The exhibition mainly aims to promote nuclear weapons disarmament by emphasising on its devastating effects towards everything we treasure here on Earth.
The opening ceremony was graced by Datuk Dr Tan Chik Heok, President of TAR UC and Mr Lok Chee Khong, Secretary General of Soka Gakkai Malaysia who officially launched the exhibition in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In his opening speech, Datuk Dr Tan emphasised on the significance of the exhibition in spreading awareness on the importance of nuclear weapons disarmament. "Despite the past atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki which killed thousands, nuclear weapons still exist in the world today. According to the Arms Control Association, there are still 15,000 nuclear warheads in countries such as Russia, United States, United Kingdom, India and so on which pose a huge threat to millions. We cannot let history repeat itself and that is why this exhibition co-organised by Soka Gakkai Malaysia aims to realise the ban on all nuclear weapons," he asserted.
Mr Lok Chee Khong also took the opportunity to say a few words at the opening ceremony. He said, "We live in a world in which the total extinction of the human species has become a possibility with nuclear weapons. Ever since the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings ended, we acted as if the threat of nuclear bombs had also ended when in fact, it hasn't. So, we have brought this exhibition to Malaysia to spread awareness, provide knowledge and emphasise on nuclear weapons abolishment as our main concern."
He also highlighted a rather profound quote by Daisaku Ikeda, the founding President of Soka Gakkai International, saying, "If we are to put the era of nuclear threat behind us, we must struggle against the real enemy which is, the way of thinking that justifies nuclear weapons. We must change our way of thinking that justifies the readiness to annihilate others."
Other highlights of the event included an interesting band performance by the students who sang and played to the tunes of touching, melancholy lyrics accompanied by a video presentation in the background depicting the story of a Japanese girl who lost everything she treasured in a nuclear war. At the end of the opening ceremony, all senior TAR UC officials and guests were taken on a tour around the exhibition area where students presented their knowledge on nuclear weapons and its dangers based on exhibition materials provided by Soka Gakkai Malaysia. Overall, the initiative was indeed a meaningful and impactful one as it encouraged TAR UC students to be part of a greater cause.
