Gulen Institute Youth Platform 2015 Winners


Date posted: January 28, 2015

As the Gülen Institute Youth Platform Committee, we are pleased to announce the winners of the Essay Contest 2015.

We appreciate all the hard work you have done to write your essays from all around the world. Over 1000 essays from 65 countries and 35 states were submitted for the contest. There are 30 winners from 12 different countries. The winners will be contacted about the details regarding their flight, hotel and other arrangements.

Gülen Institute Youth Platform Committee especially thanks the judges from University of Houston, University of Houston-Downtown, Texas Southern University, Texas A&M University, San Jacinto College, North American University, Lamar University, Alvin Community College,Midwestern State University, Lone Star College, Prairie View A&M University, Rice University, Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas State University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Texas-Pan American, Wharton County Junior College,  and Houston Community College. We also thank Prof. Tom Gage, chair of this essay contest, for his time, effort, and leadership. Without his support, this event would not have been a success.

Thank you students again for your participation, dedication and efforts!

Gulen Institute Youth Platform Committee

GULEN INSTITUTE – YOUTH PLATFORM 2015 WINNERS

Rank Name Country Award
1 Min Byung Chae South Korea 2,000 USD + 3-day excursion
2 Kuangning Ge Singapore 1,500 USD + 3-day excursion
3 Sung Yeon Kim Canada 1,000 USD + 3-day excursion
4 Eric Frankel USA 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
5 Daniyal Chaudhry Canada 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
6 William Kang USA 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
7 Nicolas Ortega Bolivia 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
8 Teresa Isabel Naval Philippines 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
9 Linh He USA 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
10 Hyeji Suh USA 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
11 Mary Vickers USA 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
12 Emily Kim USA 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
13 Elif Memet Romania 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
14 Barrett Young USA 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
15 Arif Demirkan Turkey 300 USD+ 3-day excursion
16 Oumar Karaga Burkina Faso 100 USD
17 Lucas Lin USA 100 USD
18 Mary Beth Dale USA 100 USD
19 Shivani Pandey USA 100 USD
20 Meilinda Sun USA 100 USD
21 Muhammad Bilal Cheema Canada 100 USD
22 Joseph Gutheinz USA 100 USD
23 Ljubica Pop-Trajkova Macedonia 100 USD
24 Madina Kaliyeva Kazakhstan 100 USD
25 ELIZABETH LUVANDA Tanzania 100 USD
26 Christina Wall USA 100 USD
27 Emma Berthelsen USA 100 USD
28 Arman Dupanovic Bosnia and Herzegovina 100 USD
29 Jeehye Choi USA 100 USD
30 TINASHE PRINCE GWAKUKA USA 100 USD

2015 Essay Contest Theme

“Are Citizens of the World Succeeding in Lessening Global Poverty?”

Poverty entails limitations upon populations in education, finance, human potential, substance and shelter, gender class differences, all limitations that tax food sources, curtailing the potential of the cultures’ youth, loss of capital in maintenance and little for developing sustainable of wealth.

Ending global poverty constitutes a major goal of humanity. There have been many innovative proposals and projects implemented to achieve this goal, several ways of measuring the results of innovative efforts, and considerable publicity to disseminate the results of the effective innovations.

Source: Gulen Institute Youth Platform


Related News

Saylorsburg protesters focus on Turkish cleric

As a corruption investigation embroils the prime minister of Turkey and the country’s ruling party, protesters descended for a third time on Saylorsburg against Turkish cleric Fethullah Gülen. But Alp Aslandogan, spokesman for Gülen’s movement, said the protesters’ views are contradictory. He said Erdogan has blamed Gülen for the investigation, so protesters are supporting the ruling party by protesting Gülen now.

Students from around the globe spread the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’

More than 400 students from 17 nations assembled in New Delhi on May 7 for the 14th International Festival of Language & Culture (IFLC 2016) which had the premise ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The world is one family)’ to spread the message of global peace and cultural harmony.

AFSV Statement on Temporary US Travel and Immigration Ban

AFSV believes the temporary travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, including a ban on the immigration of Syrian and other thoroughly vetted refugees, will not address its intended goals of keeping Americans safe.

Nigerian Turkish Foundation donates educational materials to Lagos schools

Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye has restated the need for individuals and private organizations to partner with the State government in order to raise the standard of education in the State.

Turkish school shelters locals in earthquake-hit Nepal

The Meridian International School in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, founded by Turkish businessmen and educators in 2002, has opened up its premises to locals after the city was hit by a powerful earthquake on Saturday that killed thousands, with several thousand others injured and seeking medical treatment and help.

Gülen’s views, concern for Kurdish problem nothing new, report shows

“No matter who does it, it is just brutality, murder and tyranny to try to achieve a goal by killing people [and] shedding blood. No beneficial goal can be achieved for humanity through the use of these tactics,” Mr. Gulen states.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

Moldova Rights Activists Target Erdogan at Football Match

Turkey Now Back in Africa with Turkish Schools

Woman gave birth while in detention, handcuffed to bed by police

Detainee says was pushed to make accusations about Gülen movement

Has Erdoğan convinced EU of the existence of a ‘parallel state’?

11 Gülen sympathizers held hostage at Saudi hotel deported to Turkey

Take protests seriously, work to solve problems, Fethullah Gülen urges

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News