African Union Commission chair receives Gülen peace award

Turquoise Harmony Institute President Ayhan Çetin and GYV President Mustafa Yeşil presented the Fethullah Gülen Peace and Dialogue Award to African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
Turquoise Harmony Institute President Ayhan Çetin and GYV President Mustafa Yeşil presented the Fethullah Gülen Peace and Dialogue Award to African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. (Photo: Today's Zaman)


Date posted: September 11, 2015

TÜRKMEN TERZİ

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, was awarded the Fethullah Gülen Peace and dialogue Award during the eighth annual Ubuntu Lecture and Dialogue Awards ceremony, held in Johannesburg on Thursday evening.

The awards were organized by the Turquoise Harmony Institute, a dialogue center inspired by prominent Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen to promote mutual understanding and exchange between people from different cultures and religions.

Dlamini-Zuma accepted her award from Mustafa Yeşil, the president of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), of which Gülen is the honorary chairman.

In her acceptance speech, Dlamini-Zuma said: “Africa has been stricken with great griefs for a long time. If people establish dialogue, they won’t take up arms. We must fight all kinds of racism and discrimination in order to sustain peace and development. We believe that conflict all around Africa can be solved with dialogue and consensus. I accept the Gülen peace award with great enthusiasm. Accepting this award also means accepting the duty of working ceaselessly to sustain peace. From now on, the African continent must be sure to double its efforts to establish peace and solve conflicts through dialogue, because I accept this award on behalf of the African continent and the African Union [AU].”

Underlining the importance of women in dialogue, Dlamini-Zuma added: “Women must be at the center of dialogue because we are full of love and don’t become instruments in games of [political] power. We can dream of a new world. We can make it come true.”

Yeşil also read a message from Gülen to those attending the award ceremony. “All people are created equal by God. Equality, freedom, honor, peace and justice, which are bestowed upon all humanity by God, constitute the basic values of all divine religions. … People like you, who represent high values of humanity and spread mutual respect, are dignifying society [on a universal scale]. I appreciate and honor your service to humanity through dialogue, tolerance, humanitarian aid and social justice. I also thank you for making it possible for me to share my thoughts in your exalted assembly,” the message read.

Speaking to the Cihan news agency after the ceremony, Dlamini-Zuma expressed her gratitude to the Kimse Yok Mu charity and to the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON). “The charitable work of Kimse Yok Mu is very meaningful. They extend a helping hand to the needy. On the other hand, TUSKON brings entrepreneurs [to Africa]. Africa needs entrepreneurs now more than ever,” Dlamini-Zuma stated.

The Fethullah Gülen Peace and Dialogue Award is bestowed upon individuals or organizations that are seen to have made noteworthy contributions to dialogue, peace and harmony in their societies.

Source: Today's Zaman , September 11, 2015

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Islamic scholar Gülen calls on praying for Palestinians, Syrians

Islamic scholar and prominent Turkish figure Fethullah Gülen has called on his followers to pray for an end to the current tribulations in Syria and Palestine, according to Herkül.org, a website close to the movement. Gülen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania but remains an influential figure on Turkey’s political scene, said the problems […]

AKP: What is next?

Neither Erdoğan nor his bureaucrats could convince the public that their plan was educational, and not an attempt to punish the Hizmet movement. Gül, Arınç and several of Erdoğan’s ministers couldn’t stop Erdoğan, who started a war against the Hizmet movement and even directly attacked Fethullah Gülen by taking remarks Gülen made about the headscarf ban 15 years ago completely out of context.

Sultan of Zing: Erdogan’s power trip makes African pit stop

Erdogan came to Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar believing that if he waved around the prospect of massive investment, the governments would shut down the Gulen schools and give marching orders to the Turkish nationals running them. It turned out at the African states quite like having well-resourced schools catering for the local elites and did not oblige.

Central West Africa shows up for TUSKON event

In the event, titled the Turkey-Central West Africa Trade Bridge, which was hosted by the Association of Aegean and Mediterranean Industrialists and Businesspeople (ESİDEF), a member of TUSKON, 250 businesspeople from Niger, Nigeria, Ghana and Burkina Faso — representing 100 firms — had the opportunity to meet with 300 Turkish businesspeople from the Aegean region.

Fethullah Gülen is a Chance for Humanity: His Inclusive Perspective for Sustainable Global Triangulation

The basic values that mark the twenty-first century are modernism, pluralism, individualism, and religion. Some claim that modernity embraces individual and social life as a whole, and that it has created new forms of religious, cultural, and political pluralism. There is no doubt that the world today is in need of dialogue between cultures and civilizations more than at any other time; this is of the utmost urgency.

Becoming a Dialogue Movement: What Can Dialogue Learn from Other Movements?

Frances Sleap Tue, 01 May 2012 Local intercultural dialogue efforts may have a real impact on the quality of the relationships of those involved. But how can dialogue have a larger-scale, more pervasive effect on our society? In a 2010 Dialogue Society discussion, Revd Donald Reeves suggested that dialogue needs to become a movement. Dr […]

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

Turkey’s leading prep school network rejects claims it cheated on state exams

Nigeria Gives 7-Day Ultimatum to Turkish Government to Release Over 50 Nigerian Students Held in Detention

The Middle Eastern voice of Europe — Natacha Atlas

Math Brings the Gold to Macedonian Turkish College

Turkish Cultural Center Vermont opened it doors at a ceremony held in Burlington

SEASON OF PEACE: Moderate Islam has a voice if you listen

In rare interview: Fethullah Gulen rebukes Turkish regime

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News