Source: Los Angeles Times

On October 14, 2000, the Los Angeles Times reported that "more than 10,000 Buddhists are expected to gather at the Los Angeles Convention Center today to sign a pledge of personal responsibility to stop the violence that is claiming the lives of young people regionwide. The pledges will be assembled into a giant peace quilt at the event, sponsored by the lay Buddhist association, Soka Gakkai International-United States. The peace campaign, Victory Over Violence, has featured festivals, school outreach programs and meetings throughout the country since the Buddhist group's youth members initiated it two years ago. So far, campaign members have collected more than 100,000 signatures."