The Role of Story-telling in the Holistic Development of a Child

Good morning and a warm welcome to all our distinguished guests present today on the occasion of the release of the books The Prince and the Coral Sea by Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, President of the Soka Gakkai International and Picture Books in Indian Languages-A Catalogue along with the symposium on "The Role of Story Telling in the Holistic Development of a child". Many principals of leading schools of Delhi and educationists specializing in elementary education and child development, graciously agreed to join us for today's programme, jointly organized by National Book Trust and Bharat Soka Gakkai. We are especially grateful to our speakers today-Prof. A.K. Jalauddin, visiting professor, Educational Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, H.E. Dr. Maria Clara Bentacur, ambassador of the Republic of Columbia as well as Dr. Lakshmi kannan, writer and poet, Prof Venita, senior education specialist, World Bank, Dr Varsha Das, Chief Editor National Book Trust and Ms Pulkita Sood, acquisitions officer.

Mr. Tsuneasburo Makiguchi, first President of the Soka Gakkai, Society for value Creation was a great educationists and visionary who presented the concept of value creation-SOKA as the core of his educational theory in 1930. He said that education's true aim should be the lifelong well being of children. Children are the emissaries of the future. Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, who loves children very much firmly believes that all adults have the responsibility to communicate the treasure of the heart to children, who will gallop upon white steeds across the plains of the 21st century. Children stories are one way to cultivate the hearts of young Children, to plant seeds of justice, courage, hope, of honest effort and kindness. Stories written by a great humanist like Dr. Ikeda are like breezes of courage and hope into the blue sky of the human spirit and nurture the imagination in the young minds. Precisely because our times are wracked by uncertainty and spiritual malaise, we must plant seeds of hope in children's hearts. From these, let us together raise trees of hope, believing in the future when we well stroll that luxuriant forest, flowers of happiness blooming all around us in colourful profusion, Thank you once again!

Naveena Reddy
Chief Secretary
Bharat Soka Gakkai