Unforgettable Friends

"King Bhumibol Adulyadej goes out among his subjects so frequently that, sitting side by side with them in rural hamlets, discussing their needs, problems and opinions, he has absorbed the rhythms of their speech. He spends seven months of the year travelling throughout Thailand, and he covers some fifty thousand kilometres in the process... King Bhumibol cuts a familiar and much-loved figure as he slogs through the mud in his rubber boots, a camera slung around his neck and a map and eraser-tipped pencil in his hand. Some say he behaves just like a father taking care of his children ... A soldier wounded by a landmine expressed his appreciation: 'I lost one of my legs, but our King sacrifices his entire life for the sake of the country.""
Daisaku Ikeda

Poet Laureate UN and Peace Award recipient Daisaku Ikeda has travelled to more than 50 countries to promote peace. As he actively pursues his 'citizen's diplomacy', he has met with political and intellectual leaders from around the world to discuss the challenges facing humanity.