Between November and December 2025, Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) held a Youth Peace Culture Festival across 11 states, presenting a total of 23 sessions of youth-led cultural programming to a combined audience of over 30,000 people. More than 5,000 young performers and working committee members participated in the planning and execution of the event—the first such nationwide festival organized by SGM in more than two decades.

Held under the theme "ombak," the Malay word for wave, the festival was premised on the idea that individual action, when multiplied across communities, generates a collective force for peace. In each state, youth members designed programs rooted in local cultural traditions by incorporating music, drama, dance, percussion and spoken word from within the communities. The performances explored themes of coexistence, shared responsibility and the building of peace.

Multiethnic collaboration at the center

Malaysia's demographic diversity was both a subject and the cornerstone of the festival. In Perak, performances held on 13, 14 and 20 December drew on traditional Orang Asli bamboo instrumentation alongside locally composed music incorporating Punjabi and Tamil songs, and interwoven with elements of traditional Malay Dikir Barat. In Sarawak on 21 December, the traditional “24 Festive Drums” opened the program, and an indigenous-inspired dance paid homage to the cultural heritage of the state. Across all venues, youth from different ethnic and religious backgrounds rehearsed and performed together, often over several months.

The Negeri Sembilan and Selangor festivals were the largest of the series, drawing over 10,000 attendees. These events were held at N9 Arena in Nilai on 18 and 20 December with support from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and the Negeri Sembilan state government. The 20 December festival was officiated by Malaysia's National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) Director-General Mohd Amran Mohd Haris representing MOTAC Minister YB Dato’ Sri Tiong King Sing. In his welcoming remarks, SGM President Johnny Ng, described the role of art as a bridge that connects hearts across differences and reminds communities of their shared humanity. Nyaneswaran Subramaniam, a Klang Royal City Councillor who attended the event, reflected on the impact of the youth performers: "Youth are not just drops in the ocean; they are the waves that drive change."

Interactive civic engagement

Several venues extended beyond stage performances to offer structured, interactive programming for participants. In Kuala Lumpur, where the festivals featured a drama on bullying and a gymnastics performance, a "Vibe Spot" zone was set up where peace could be seen, felt and experienced through a variety of activities linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Terengganu, the festivals took a participatory format by incorporating the "Seeds of Hope and Action" (SOHA) exhibition, cultural booths, hands-on art workshops, group discussions and a blood donation drive, alongside open dialogue on the themes of nonviolence and respect for diversity.

Dr. Balachandran Krishnan, Special Officer for Non-Muslim Affairs to the Terengganu Menteri Besar, who officiated in Terengganu, commended SGM's longstanding engagement with local communities: “We need to work together in harmony…. Where there is peace, there is no room for jealousy, hatred or anything that causes disharmony.”

Youth as program architects

A distinguishing feature of the festival was that all 23 sessions were conceived, planned and executed by youth members, many of whom were first-time organizers and performers. In Penang, for example, the program was developed entirely by the youth division and attracted an audience of around 4,000 people across two sessions. Working committee members managed logistics, staging, lighting, hospitality and community outreach, with intergenerational support provided by older members of the organization.

The festival also included segments in which individual young participants shared reflections on personal challenges they had faced—including financial hardship, academic pressure and social withdrawal—and how engagement with community activities had redirected their sense of purpose toward contributing to others. The program also drew participants from outside the SGM membership. Mohm Amran Mohd Haris, Director-General of the National Department for Culture and Arts, noted: “As the saying goes, ‘If we want to glimpse the future of a nation, we need only to look at its youth.’ When young people embody positive values, the future of the country becomes strong and promising.”