İstanbul hosts dialogue leaders to discuss tolerance in education

Represantatives from around 30 countries are in İstanbul for a conference titled
Represantatives from around 30 countries are in İstanbul for a conference titled "Tolerance and Dialogue in Education," held to bring European and Asian experts together for discussions on education


Date posted: September 30, 2009

MAHIR ZEYNALOV

“What we are doing here is for the better future of our people, to tackle global threats and institute global peace,” said Rostislav Rybakov, head of the Institute of Oriental Studies, during a conference held in İstanbul on Monday to discuss tolerance and dialogue in education.

The Dialogue Eurasia Platform (DEP) together with the İstanbul Municipal Education Administration and the İstanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency opened a four-day conference in İstanbul on Monday under the title of “Tolerance and Dialogue in Education.”

The primary purpose of the meeting is to bring Europeans and Asians together and propose grounds for discussion. Its organizers also aimed to launch the unofficial opening of the İstanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture celebrations in terms of education. Invitations sent to 42 countries and representatives from 25 countries joined the conference, which plans to bring related educational and dialogue organizations together to deal with tolerance and dialogue in education.

The opening ceremony of the conference started with a presentation on the importance of intercultural and interfaith dialogue and Dialogue Eurasia Platform’s contribution to this.

The presentation stressed the importance of dialogue and tolerance, and people were called on to respect diversity and differences while stressing the significant role of peace and love. “The Dialogue Eurasia Platform is blind to differences, race and diversity and does not recognize any conflicts,” it said.

Head of the İstanbul Education Department Muammer Yıldız, head of Pedagogical Club of European Capitals Boris Jebrovski, co-chair of the Dialogue Eurasia Platform and honorary chair of Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oriental Studies, Rostislav Rybakov, prominent scholar and dialogue activist Nevzat Yalçıntaş, head of the Journalists’ and Writers’ Union Mustafa Yeşil, Deputy Governor for Educational Affairs Harun Kaya and head of the Turkish Parliament Education Commission Mehmet Sağlam were among the participants of the conference.

At the end of the first day, it was announced that the applicable recommendations will be prescribed at the end of the conference. These recommendations will be sent to the participant countries’ education ministries, UNESCO and the UN.

Throughout the conference discourse on peace, love, respect of diversity dominated the speeches by all speakers. The speakers were representing both educational ministries of different countries and educational organizations from various countries. “Our differences are our beauty,” said Yıldız, head of İstanbul Education Department. “We educators are responsible for building an environment of tolerance and dialogue. Our job is to contribute to universal peace.”

The head of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Rybakov, listed seven guiding principles for global peace. “İstanbul is the seventh golden principle. Its mosaic of different cultures and religions is a wonderful sign of coexistence and respect for diversity,” he said. Drawing similar lines between Indian peace activist Mahatma Gandhi and Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen, Rybakov said Mahatma Gandhi had certain political motives yet Gülen is a “gardener.” “Fethullah Gülen is an initiator of a new culture, a new man who is ready to love,” Rybakov concluded.

The conference is expected to finish on Sept. 30 with policy recommendations for different organizations and ministries of education with respect to dialogue and tolerance in education.

Source: Today’s Zaman, 29 September, 2009

 

 


Related News

Parents protest deportation of Pak-Turk School’s teachers, staff

Slamming the government’s decision of deporting Turkish teachers and staff from the country, parents said “Pak-Turk Schools were founded without any financial assistance of Turkey and Pakistani government but founded by the philanthropist donations of people of Pakistan and Turkey” adding that these schools were the property of Pakistani people.

KADİP’s 1st international photography contest held for peace

The Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADİP) of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) announced the winners of its very first international photography contest, “Peace in the frame,” at a gala on Tuesday night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in İstanbul.

A rising profile for Turkish Cultural Center Vermont

The Turkish Cultural Center Vermont, a nonprofit organization, offers Turkish language classes and serves as a platform for promoting both Turkish culture and cross-cultural understanding. As a focal point for one of the many ethnic and linguistic groups that have found their way to Vermont, it has achieved noteworthy visibility.

No measures taken against ‘parallel structure’ at top security meeting: General Staff

The Turkish General Staff has dismissed reports that measures against the “parallel structure” – the government’s code word for the movement of erstwhile ally Fethullah Gülen – in the army have been taken during a National Security Council (MGK) meeting on April 30.

Communists in Cold War, reactionaries in Feb. 28 coup and Gülenists in Erdoğan era

It is useful to make a point here: Is it not true that some civil servants and officers, including prosecutors, judges, police officers, district governors and governors, are members of the Gülen movement? Of course it’s true. But is that a crime? No, it is not. People cannot be blamed for their beliefs, thoughts, identities or colors. They cannot be discriminated against because of such characteristics.

US Congressman: No Credibility In Charges By Turkey Against Gülen

US Congressman Brad Sherman said on Thursday that charges against US-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen by the Turkish government and Turkey’s autocratic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have no credibility and that he would not be treated with justice if he were in Turkey.

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

Turkish Cultural Center In Greenburgh Collects Coats, Blankets For Refugees

Liberia: VP Boakai Breaks Ground for New Light-International Campus

Fethullah Gulen and His Movement: A Brief Introduction

International community’s Erdoğan problem

Gülen’s teachings to be taught at Belarus universities

Fethullah Gülen: alleged coup mastermind – and friendly neighbor

Pro-AKP media flop as corruption charges swell

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News