Interfaith Conference – Peace Islands Institute in Connecticut

Interfaith conference organized by Peace Island Institute in Connecticut
Interfaith conference organized by Peace Island Institute in Connecticut


Date posted: October 12, 2014

Last Wednesday, we appreciated the beauty of spring better than ever and this was one of those time “when beauty whispers to the heart.” It was the motto of a very meaningful interfaith conference organized by Peace Islands Institute in Connecticut, Sacred Heart University and Fountain Magazine. Our distinguished speakers discussed the concept and expression of “Beauty” in Abrahamic traditions from two perspectives: nature and art.

The conference started with the welcoming speeches of Fr. Anthony Ciorra from SHU and Hakan Yesilova from Fountain Magazine.  The first panel moderated by Prof. Marie Hulme was on how the beauty of nature is observed and appreciated in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Rabbi Suri Krieger shared her insights from Jewish perspective. She exemplified ‘tree’, which is a common symbol in stories of several prophets, and Torah itself referred as the ‘tree of life.’ Then Prof. Michael Higgins explained us how important stewardship is in Christian understanding and he related this awareness to Noah. He referred nature as “God’s ongoing act of love.” The final speaker of the first session was Dr. Ayse Kubra Coskun and she gave examples of how Muslims see the acts of the Divine reflected on every being in the universe. She also shared the perspectives of three great Islamic scholars: Rumi, Ibn-i Arabi and Beduizzaman Said Nursi. Dr. Coskun concluded her talk with verses from Qur’an.

After the dinner and we watched short videos on Peace Island Institute and Fountain Magazine. In second session moderated by Fr. Anthony Ciorra, our distinguished speakers Rabbi Suri Krieger, Prof. June-Ann Greeley and Imam Ibrahim Sayar shared their perspectives on how the Jewish, Christian and Islamic beliefs are expressed through art forms. This night full of beauty was concluded with questions and answers. (Click the link: Abraham’s Table: A History of Jewish Muslim Relations)

Source: Peace Island Institute


Related News

Pro-gov’t dailies call Japanese foundation ‘parallel’ to denigrate award for Gülen

Several pro-government dailies have run stories with far-fetched allegations that a prestigious peace award was presented to Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen thanks to the sponsorship of a “parallel” — a defamatory term invented by the ruling party to describe Gülen and his sympathizers — foundation, even though the organization was founded in Japan.

Peace Islands Institute Honors Remarkable Individuals

Peace Islands Institute’s 5th Annual Award Ceremony was held on June 3rd, 2012. Over 200 guests and many dignitaries joined PII to applaud accomplishments of the honorees. NJ Assembly Speaker Hon. Sheila Oliver said, “It is phenomenal to see an organization (Peace Islands Institute) has so many leaders from the corporate sector, government, non profit sector, […]

Failing to arrest outspoken NBA star, Turkish gov’t detains father

Turkish police on Friday detained Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kanter, father of NBA Oklahoma City Thunder player Enes Kanter, who the government seeks to arrest over links to the Gülen movement. “HEY WORLD MY DAD HAS BEEN ARRESTED by Turkish government and the Hitler of our century He is potentially to get tortured as thousand others,” tweeted Enes Kanter on Friday.

An Armenian from Turkey in Los Angeles (2)

Markar Esayan A major component of Turkey’s official Armenian policy is the demonization of the Armenian diaspora. This component is still alive. The Hizmet movement, which has emerged as Turkey’s representative in the international arena, has been making serious efforts to compensate for the damage done in this regard. I mentioned earlier that I had […]

Clifton Mayor Anzaldi receives Diversity Award

The annual PII award dinners were established to publicly recognize the outstanding achievements of those who have distinguished themselves in their profession and service to communities in the Garden State. PII’s goal in presenting the awards is to advance the causes of peace, cross-cultural tolerance, interfaith dialogue and human dignity.

IFLC: Promoting Intercultural Dialogue

In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, there are institutions linked to “Hizmet” or “volunteer movement” better known as “Gulen Movement”, by the name of the person who inspired it, Fethullah Gulen, Turkey. It is an educational, intercultural and interfaith movement, transnational, with a presence in almost every country in the world. These institutions in the Dominican […]

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

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

In Case You Missed It

Turkish school sacrifices over 150 cows for Eidil Adha

Turkish School’s sucesss in Iraq

Opposition journalists speak at U.N. panel on Turkey’s human rights record

Dialogue Institute of the Southwest presents Whirling Dervishes of Rumi

Evolution of the Gulen [Hizmet] Movement

Paris attacks, New Turkey and oppressing Hizmet

THY’s Topçu defends embargo on papers, defamation campaign

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News