Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice


Date posted: December 8, 2021

Civil Society Movement Crystalizes Key Tenets after Years-long, Multistakeholder Process

CLIFTON, New Jersey (September 21, 2021) – Today, the Alliance for Shared Values (AfSV), a U.S.-based non-profit representing regional Hizmet organizations, together with many other Hizmet-affiliated nonprofits around the world, published a landmark document that helps define and guide the civil society movement’s activities for years to come.

Core Values of the Hizmet Movement outlines 12 values common to Hizmet participants and pursued by Hizmet-oriented organizations. Although these values have existed in the movement for decades, the new document concisely codifies the tenets that have appeared in the movement’s inspirational documents, discourse, and activities. The new publication is the result of multi-year, multi-stakeholder conversations that AfSV conducted to ensure that voices from different age groups, genders, and social and professional backgrounds were reflected.

The Hizmet movement is committed to the ideals of living together in peace and serving humanity, and it works within the framework of social responsibility and philanthropy. The movement is centered on the concept of altruistic volunteerism, and it prioritizes education, interfaith dialogue, and humanitarian aid in its activities. It is a faith-inspired social movement that embraces religious, social, and cultural diversity and is inspired by Islamic and universal humanitarian values.

“Whether it is a respect for human rights, civic activism or the empowerment of women, these principles are fundamental to humanity and, therefore, to Hizmet,” said Alp Aslandogan, executive director of AfSV. “We hope this document helps cement the course for Hizmet for generations to come as participants use these principles to guide their activities in serving humanity.”

Hizmet’s core values include:

  • Respect for humans and fundamental human rights
  • Respect for the rule of law
  • Peaceful and positive action
  • Empowerment of women
  • Ethical action
  • Respect for diversity and pluralism
  • Voluntary participation and altruism
  • Consultation and shared wisdom
  • Civic nature and independence
  • Civic engagement and contribution to society
  • Protecting the environment
  • Holistic view toward humanity (and integration of the mind and the heart)

With origins in Turkey in the 1970s, and inspiration from the words and works of Muslim preacher Fethullah Gülen, Hizmet participants have spread out around the world to launch education, humanitarian, and interfaith dialogue organizations that bring people together, promote mutual respect, and help those in need. Hizmet participants have established hospitals in Africa and private non-sectarian grade schools in over 100 countries around the world, including schools for girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria, among others.

Read Core Values.

About the Alliance for Shared Values

The Alliance for Shared Values (AFSV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as a voice for cultural organizations affiliated with Hizmet, a civil society movement inspired by prominent preacher and peace advocate Fethullah Gülen. AfSV strives to promote peace and social harmony by helping reduce misinformation and false stereotypes about any or all ethnic, cultural, and religious communities. To learn more about AfSV, please visit www.afsv.org.


Related News

Nigerien Minister of Education at Kimse Yok Mu

Niger Minister of Education, MME Ali Marianna Elh. Ibrahim accompanied by a Nigerien delegation paid a visit to Kimse Yok Mu headquarters on April 19, Friday. Interacting with the foundation officials at the visit, a token of the bridge of friendship between Turkey and Niger, the Nigerien minister thanked Kimse Yok Mu for its humanitarian […]

Turkish editor hits out at media coercion under Erdoğan

Segments of the Turkish media remain fiercely anti-government, however, including secularist dailies Sözcü and Cumhuriyet, and more recently Zaman and Bugün, which are close to Gülen and have become more critical since the graft scandal erupted.

Germany Declines Turkish Request to Freeze Gulen Assets

Germany has rejected a formal request from Turkey to freeze assets of members of the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. The German government officially rejected the request at the end of June, telling Ankara there were no legal grounds for Germany’s financial watchdog BaFin to crack down on the Gulen movement and its supporters.

Caretaker AK Party gov’t criticized for police operation against youth association

The Yağmur Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Association, which was founded in 2013 by Ahmet Turhan, the Balıkesir governor of the time, has been giving Quran lessons to 60 children during Ramadan.

Nigerian youths can excel in Olympiads

Nigerian youths can easily be trained to excel academically on the world stage, says Mr. Sabri Unal, Deputy Managing Director (Academics) at Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC).

Eight trucks aid supplies for Serbia & Bosnia flood

Embrace Relief’s (located in NJ) sister organization Kimse Yok Mu and its search and rescue team ASYA took its place in Bosnia right after disaster happened. ASYA helped rescue many of the victims with rescue boats and its professional team who trapped on the floodwater. Embrace Relief raised 50,000 dollars for the victims of the disaster.

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

CHP leader says Erdoğan’s UN speech only served to promote Gülen movement

Hira magazine changes perception of Turkey in Arab world

Prep schools and market rules

Turkish family kept at Kiev airport for days at Turkey’s request

Canadian rights advocate says Turkey’s post-coup crackdown amounts to genocide

PM continues war he already lost

Turkish schools open up trade channels too

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News