President Obama sends message to Gulen-inspired international cultural festival


Date posted: April 28, 2016

HizmetNews.Com, April 28, 2016

US President Obama sends a message to Gulen-inspired “The International Festival of Language and Culture” that took place in Washington DC at the DAR Constitution Hall, Washington DC’s largest Concert Hall on April, 2018, 2016. The hall that has a seating capacity of 3700 witnessed a historic evening as 125 young people from some 25 countries represented their countries with music and dance performances.

This festival, according to its website, is the largest and most prominent organization for promoting world languages and cultures and is dedicated to cultivate and educate the youth and create a platform to share their cultural heritage with their peers around the world. President Obama in his message said, “… festivals like this one allow us to bear witness to the ways hope and beauty stem from songs of inclusion.” Mr. Obama’s message was read by his special representative. Below is full text of his message.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Washington

The rich cultures and unique histories of our global society are brought to life through mesmerizing dance and captivating performance. In demonstrating the traditions that make your heritages special, festivals like this one allow us to bear witness to the ways hope and beauty stem from songs of inclusion. Your efforts to unite young people from across the globe reflect the power our common humanity has to transcend what sets us apart.

As you come together to celebrate the cultural mosaic that is our world and forge bonds of friendship, I wish you all the best.

https://twitter.com/intFLC/status/725824840188440576


Related News

‘Washington has no interest in using Gülen against AKP,’ former US envoy says

The U.S. has no desire to use Fethullah Gülen, who lives in self-imposed exile in America, as a tool against Ankara, said James Holmes, a former U.S. envoy to Ankara. Ties between Ankara and Turkey might be on the frosty side, but Turkey continues to be an important ally for the U.S., according to Holmes.

Filipino student wins prestigious Turkish Olympiad song contest

Patricia Dalde Linogao from the Philippines won the 13th International Language and Culture Festival’s prestigious prize for singing on Sunday night before a crowd of thousands in the Romanian capital Bucharest, beating 14 competitors from various countries.

Turkish ambassador draws ire as she implies Gülen-affiliated schools in Macedonia raise terrorists

Turkish Ambassador to Macedonia Tülin Betül Kara, has drawn ire following she made remarks last week that shocked the country about schools linked to the faith-based Gülen movement operating there, implying that they were raising students to be terrorists.

Turkish Cultural Center’s Meat Drive in New York

Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer joined the Turkish Cultural Center and Embrace Relief in a relief effort to provide aid to the underserved and those struck by disaster. 1,500 pounds of meat were donated to the Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Manhattan.

A warning from and for a troubled land – how easily a democracy can be dismantled

Recently a messenger came to Colorado with dark warnings from a troubled land: Abdulhamit Bilici, the former editor-in-chief of Zaman, Turkey’s go-to newspaper before President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s brutal crackdown. You don’t often meet people like Abdulhamit Bilici in the United States. You almost can’t believe that someone with his backstory sits before you.

İstanbul municipality tears down part of school in midnight operation

The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality sent teams in the early hours of Tuesday morning to the private Fatih College in the Merter neighborhood to demolish the wall of the school as well as a security cabin in the school’s courtyard.

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

Turkish police to detain another woman immediately after delivery

Inspector candidate labeled ‘red’ by ministry confirms profiling reports

Indonesian-Turkish Schools host 5th Science Olympiads

Palestinian woman denied visa to Turkey for treatment, says Kimse Yok Mu official

Kazakh President congratulated ‘Katev’ Foundation on 20th anniversary

Keep Incirlik, Extradite Gülen?

Votes of religious orders and communities [in Turkey]

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News