Belgium ‘proud’ to be host as ‘Colors of the World’ rocks European capital

Hundreds of children from a variety of countries across the world performed a spectacular show in Brussels on Saturday night. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
Hundreds of children from a variety of countries across the world performed a spectacular show in Brussels on Saturday night. (Photo: Today's Zaman)


Date posted: June 8, 2015

Children from around the world who participated in the 13th International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC) put on a spectacular show in Brussels on Saturday night, drawing a large number of guests.

Featuring 350 children from a variety of countries, the IFLC’s “Colors of the World” show in Brussels was broadcast live by Belgium’s state station RTBF and La Trois TV station on Saturday, along with Samanyolu TV, Irmak TV, Mehtap TV and Europe MC. To support the show, #ColorsoftheWorld and #IFLCBrussels hashtags were created on Twitter during the live broadcast.

The children, who were welcomed in Brussels and performed a special show at the European Parliament at the behest of the body’s president, Martin Schulz, on Wednesday, sang songs in various languages, including Kurdish and Turkish.

Earlier in the day, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel posted a series of tweets in which he expressed his country’s pride at hosting the event. “Belgium is proud to host the Festival of Language and Culture,” Michel said in one of his tweets.

He also thanked all those who took part in the organization of the event on behalf of the Belgian government.

Many of the attendees shared their reactions to the grand international production. “This is an unbelievable project. To offer students from different countries from around the world this opportunity is very admirable,” stated Belgian Socialist Party President Fouad Ahidar.

Mayor of the city of Kasterlee, Ward Kennes, was also present and said: “For students to come from different countries throughout the world to the capital of Europe, to the diverse city of Brussels is wonderful. I am very happy to witness this.”

“This production is wild; to be able to bring so much talent from so many different countries and have them [the students] come together like this is unbelievable. I could put them all in films!” said Belgian director and attendee Adil El Arbi.

The IFLC — a new name for what used to be known as the International Turkish Language Olympiads — has already been held in capital cities around the world for two years since the-then prime minister and current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan banned the festival in Turkey after a corruption investigation implicating members of the government and businessmen close to it went public on Dec. 17, 2013.

Erdoğan, without presenting any concrete evidence, accuses sympathizers of the faith-based Gülen movement — popularly known as the Hizmet movement — especially those in the police forces and the judiciary, of being behind the graft probe, in what he calls an attempt to overthrow the government. The accusations are strongly rejected by the movement.

Since then, instead of helping the police and judiciary continue the case, Erdoğan has chosen to target anyone associated with the movement, including Turkish schools based abroad, which are the main contributors to the IFLC.

Source: Today's Zaman , June 06, 2015


Related News

Report claims government categorized schools linked to Hizmet

The Turkish government classified, categorized and monitored a number of educational institutions in some way linked to Hizmet, a faith-based movement inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, until 2010, a Turkish daily reported on Sunday. “After statements confirmed the document, not only did I feel shattered, I am left speechless,” Gülen said.

Erdoğan’s Baku visit will not close Hizmet schools

Heydar Aliyev, an experienced and far-sighted politician, always supported these schools and we cannot say that the decisions to open the doors of the country to these schools was of no benefit. The schools have for years maintained the trust of the government because they are integrated with Azerbaijani society and its values. To think that the schools opened with blessings of Heydar Aliyev will be shut down by his son İlham Aliyev would be naïve.

Top court annuls controversial law on prep school closure

Turkey’s Constitutional Court has annulled a controversial law seeking to close down dershanes, or private preparatory schools, in a landmark ruling that will influence the lives and futures of millions of students, parents and teachers across the country.

Filipino military awards Turkish high school for peace initiatives

The Armed Forces of the Philippines have recognized the Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School in Zamboanga for their contribution to peace in the region. The award came after the Turkish high school in the Philippines gave support to people suffering from internal conflict in Mindanao, one of the islands of the Philippines, and provided 38,000 homeless people with humanitarian assistance.

How Kyrgyzstan and Turkey quarreled about Gülen

An analyst Dosmir Uzbekov believes that the closure of a wide network of schools and high schools “Sebat” will cause outrage among the population. “My son has graduated from Turkish lyceum, and I am very pleased with the education he received there. “Sebat” has become an inherent part of the education system of Kyrgyzstan.

Gülen urges patience over prep schools row

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen expressed unhappiness over government [in Turkey] plans to abolish educational institutions that assist high school students to prepare for the national university admission examination and urged people to be patient in the face of this move, which is interpreted as a blow to education in the country.

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

Gulen Denies Involvement – Erdogan Uses Coup for Repression

Rebecca Harms: Working in Gülen-linked educational institutions not a crime

AK Party’s Islamism

Fethullah Gulen on ‘GPS’: Failed Turkey coup looked ‘like a Hollywood movie’

4th Legislative Reception in Richmond

Fourth Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival in Los Angeles

Faith Communities and Home-Grown Extremism

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News