SOUTH ZONE YOUTH

The South Zone youth peace festival, "The Path Of A Disciple: Be Bold! Be The One!" was held at The University of Memphis in Memphis, TN on March 20th, 2010. The festival featured a proclamation from the city of Memphis declaring March 20th as "Rock The Era Day" in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as an honorary citizenship bestowed upon President Ikeda by the state of Tennessee. The festival included a skit about a young woman's journey ("Astrid") from a struggling college student to an individual committed to winning in her life, based on her faith and her connection with her mentor.

All of the performances during the skit took place at "Rock The Era" meetings (which are currently being held every 2nd and 4th Sunday throughout South Zone in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, the Gulf Coast of Florida, and Georgia.)

The first performance featured over 30 dancers from throughout South Zone....

"One Tribe" by Black Eyed Peas

Dance 2 "I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas



The Brass Band and Fife and Drum Corps joined together to perform "Ifu Dodo no Uta," also known as "Song of Indomitable Dignity." It was especially challenging for the brass band and fife and drum corps to collaborate. Many of the youth have experience with instruments other than the ones included in these training groups, founded by President Ikeda. With the determination to prepare for our historic territory-wide festival to be held in Philadelphia on July 25th, most of the youth involved in this group began playing these instruments (some of which were donated by the AWESOME men's and women's division members in South Zone) over the last couple of months. Many of the youth have only been playing these instruments for less than two weeks!! Way to go Brass Band and Fife and Drum Corps!!!



The festival also featured a moving video that documented President Ikeda's commitment to raising youth, called "Youth, Scale The Mountain Of Victory!"

Shortly after the video, "Astrid" is in her dorm room, begrudgingly preparing herself for bed. Just as she lays down on her bed, she comes across a book given to her by her good friend and SGI sponsor, and she reads the following quote from Sensei:

"Even if you think you're hopeless and incapable, I know you're not. I have not the slightest doubt that each of you has a mission. Though others may disparage you, please know that I respect you, I believe in you. No matter what circumstances you now face I have absolute confidence that a wonderful future awaits you. Each time you fall down, just get back up. If you can pick yourself up, you can move forward. The biggest obstacles to our progress exist within our own lives in the form of cowardice and the tendency to give up. Breaking through these barriers will unleash a surging wave of change. You are young. Now is the time for challenge and construction. Now is the time to begin some endeavor.”

Astrid makes the determination to break through her obstacles by chanting vigorous daimoku and connecting with her mentor.

"With Daisaku Ikeda by my side, how could I fail?" she asks herself... "You went through so much for me to overcome this." She begins chanting vigorously for her success as the zone-wide taiko group begins to perform...



After her breakthrough, she shares her experience at a Rock The Era meeting and joins the zone-wide youth division chorus to close the performance section of the festival by singing "I Arise."



After the curtain call, the festival concluded with two Gohonzon conferrals (both of the new members were from Knoxville, TN... congratulations TN Volunteer area!) the South Zone "Rock The Era" song, and then "Forever Sensei."

Please continue to visit this blog as we will be collecting personal experiences from youth who attended this festival, as well as sharing information towards the "Dream Big, Change The World" festival in Philadelphia on July 25th!!