Int’l language festival students given high-level welcome in Australia

Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove is presented a gift by one of the contestants of the 13th International Language and Culture Festival. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove is presented a gift by one of the contestants of the 13th International Language and Culture Festival. (Photo: Today's Zaman)


Date posted: June 8, 2015

ENES CANSEVER/ ZAFER POLAT/ SYDNEY

Some 60 students from 19 countries who came to Australia as part of the 13th International Language and Culture Festival have received an enthusiastic welcome by senior Australian officials.

Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove hosted the students at his official residence with his spouse, Lynne Cosgrove, on Saturday. Saying that he was pleased to see Australia hosting this year’s International Language and Culture Festival, Cosgrove praised the initiative’s efforts for global peace during the students’ visit. “As we all know, the world is unsettled and is being faced with some serious challenges which can cause great division. … What we aspire for is a unified world, where people not only respect each other but embrace and display altruistic traits. It’s great to see those who share this vision of sustaining global peace have put this ideal into practice. Through their efforts we are seeing peace bloom in the lands they are serving; and it is through education that we have harnessed the talents of these aspiring individuals. It is great to see we are all working towards universal peace,” Cosgrove said.

The governor-general and his wife then accepted gifts the students brought from their home countries. The students sang songs in Turkish and English during their visit.

Australia will for the first time host an International Language and Culture Festival on Sunday. The festival is organized by Sirius Educational Institutions, which have been active in Australia for years.

The first 11 editions of the event were hosted in Turkey, but due to government hostility and the ongoing persecution of the Gülen movement, or Hizmet movement — which is involved in organizing the culture festival — the organizers have held the event in various countries since 2014 to avoid potential problems.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused the Hizmet movement of attempting to overthrow his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, but has failed to present evidence to support this allegation.

Source: Today's Zaman , June 06, 2015

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

Fate of preparatory courses

Zaman’s Hüseyin Gülerce denied allegations that there is tension between the government and Hizmet movement due to government’s steps to bring an end to these preparatory courses, saying that Hizmet does not own all preparatory course schools in the country. What bothers members of Hizmet is that the government has not given a clear or reasonable explanation as to why they are taking these steps, Gülerce said.

Turkish schools behind Turkey’s soft power in Middle East

2 May 2012 / MİNHAC ÇELİK, İSTANBUL Marco Padovan, Italian businessman and a member of the Turkish-Italian Trade and Cooperation Association, said during a round table meeting held in İstanbul on Wednesday that Turkish schools play a crucial role in the increase of Turkey’s soft power in the Middle East and North Africa. Speaking during […]

Dialogue and Friendship Dinner Unites Multi-Cultural, Faith Groups

Against the backdrop of the San Antonio skyline, members of various religious and cultural groups from every corner of the city broke bread and shared a thoughtful discussion during the Dialogue Institute of the Southwest‘s 11th Annual Dialogue and Friendship Dinner.

Fethullah Gulen Cited among Watkins’ 2019 the Most Spiritually Influential 100 Living People

There are several factors that were taken into account when compiling the list. The person has to have made a unique and spiritual contribution on a global scale, has to be alive, is frequently googled, appears in Nielsen Data, has a Wikipedia page, and is actively talked about throughout the Internet. This list is meant to celebrate the positive influence of today’s spiritual teachers.

Cambodian education minister: I’m proud of Turkish school students

Hosting students from a Turkish high school who won a total of four medals in an international environmental project Olympiad called the “ASEAN+3 Junior Science Odyssey” (APT JSO) in his office, Cambodian Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron congratulated them, saying he is proud of the Turkish school students.

Fethullah Gülen urges followers to stick to path despite attacks

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen called on his followers on Monday to “just keep walking and not stop” in the face of controversial government plans to abolish privately-funded educational institutions known as dershanes, which assist medium and high school students to prepare for national college and university admission examinations.

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

Should Hizmet establish a political party?

Strange alignment of PKK and government against Hizmet

Albanian parliament speaker visits Turkish school after Erdoğan calls for its closure

Rwanda’s First Lady Receives Turkish School Administrators

Greek broadcaster praises contributions of Gülen movement

Monday Talk with Alp Aslandogan on Gulen Movement and Recent Coup Attempt in Turkey

Government as a black propaganda machine

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News