On 27 July 2024, the life and legacy of futurist, author and environmental activist Hazel Henderson (1935–2022) was celebrated in an online symposium titled “Learning from Planetary Citizenship.” The event linked the US-based trustees who are continuing Henderson’s legacy and over 100 members of the Women’s Peace Committee (WPC) of the Soka Gakkai throughout Japan.
The bilingual symposium featured presentations on Henderson’s unique life and inspirational leadership from Co-Trustees of the Hazel Henderson Institute Beth Binns and Dr. Carol Spalding. Binns, who is also co-director of Ethical Markets Media, which Henderson created, paid tribute to her tireless dedication to tackling economic orthodoxy as well as her warmth and generosity as a friend.
Many participants stated that they were deeply moved by the symposium and felt inspired to tackle their own sense of powerlessness to effect change.
Dr. Spalding, President of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in North Carolina, introduced Henderson’s concept of the “love economy” as a layer cake, which includes the often-ignored unpaid work of women and the natural resources on which our economies are ultimately based. Dr. Spalding also described how she has implemented Henderson’s ideas in her work.
A video clip of an interview with Henderson was shown, reminding participants of her unique communication style marked by her hallmark confidence, brilliance and sharp humor.
From Japan, WPC Chair Miyuki Hashiguchi and SGI Senior Coordinator for Peace and Global Issues Joan Anderson spoke of the resonance between Henderson’s thinking and activism, with its focus on empowerment and social contribution, and the leadership of SGI President Daisaku Ikeda (1928–2023).
Junko Kanzaki, a Soka Gakkai member from Kyushu, spoke of Henderson as a mentor, and recounted how Henderson had encouraged her warmly when she visited her in the US. Members of the WPC youth conference gave a presentation on key points from Planetary Citizenship; Your Values, Beliefs and Actions Can Shape a Sustainable World, the dialogue Henderson published in 2004 with Daisaku Ikeda.
Many participants stated that they were deeply moved by the symposium and felt inspired to tackle their own sense of powerlessness to effect change. One commented, “I was especially impressed by Dr. Henderson's actions, not as a special person, but as a housewife, a mother, and a woman who took action to protect her own child. From these humble beginnings, she expanded her network and transformed her local community. This reminded me of the importance of taking action and not remaining a bystander. I am now determined to consider what I can do from where I am.”
