The American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) organized the now much exclaimed 4th Legislative Reception, in Richmond, Virginia on February 6th 2013. Members of Virginia’s General Assembly, their staff, and Turkish Americans attended the reception at the Old City Hall. The reception provided a great atmosphere for all attendees including legislators to relax and enjoy each other’s company; also provided a time for the district representatives and Turkish Americans to more-intimately convers with one another.
Turkish food, desert and coffee were served at the reception, along with an expedition on the Ottoman Sultans’ Fermans written down about the Ottoman subjects various religions. The various Fermans by the Sultan legalized the freedom to practice different religions throughout Ottoman lands.
A few honorable speakers from the General Assembly gave lauding remarks about the Turkish American relations in Virginia. The speakers praised the Turkish Americans in their effort in the betterment of the community and in improving the relations of Turkey and The United States. Above all, this event further enhanced the relations of both countries.
The Alliance for Shared Values strongly condemns the slaying of the three Muslim students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is heartbreaking to see the loss of young, innocent lives and to see the assault on peace and tolerance we so cherish in the U.S. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased.
Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards given in Washington
The Rumi Forum, a nongovernmental organization established in the United States to improve interfaith and intercultural dialogue, gave its traditional Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards in a ceremony held in Washington on Wednesday. Farah Pandith, US Special Representative to Muslim Communities, Hannah Rosenthal, the US special envoy on anti-Semitism, and Martin O’Malley, the governor of […]
US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee: Charges against Gülen not credible
US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Dana Rohrabacher said during a hearing titled “Turkey after the July Coup Attempt” in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the Turkish government’s claims against a US-based Turkish scholar for masterminding the July 15 coup attempt lack substantial evidence and were not credible.
INTERPOL and U.S. reject baseless charges against US-based Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen
INTERPOL apparently indicated in its decision that it did not recognize the “parallel structure” as a illegal or terrorist organization. In other words, the charges against Gülen appear to have been fabricated based on his political activity. His case is widely viewed as part of a government crackdown on dissidents and political opposition, as described here. U.S. officials have also thus far refused to extradite Gülen back to Turkey.
Building bridges while breaking bread: Norfolk temple holds interfaith Ramadan meal
Exiled. Away from his friends and family and watching from afar as thousands of Turkish doctors, teachers, professors and more have been jailed. Unbelievable, Bilici called it. Out of work and afraid of what was coming, he left the country. Eventually, he purchased a one-way ticket to America and is now, like thousands before him, a Muslim immigrant.
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A press release prepared by the Alliance for Shared Values says Saylorsburg resident Fethullah Gulen, the prominent Muslim cleric, has urged people of all faiths to come together to address global conflict at the first-ever US Muslim-Catholic Dialogue Conference, which seeks to promote interfaith dialogue and mutual respect worldwide.
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