Scholars to discuss tolerance at Hizmet Movement conference in Taiwan


Date posted: December 6, 2012

The China Post news staff — Scholars from Taiwan, Turkey, the United States and Japan meet in Taipei this weekend for a conference on the Hizmet Movement, a faith-inspired social movement that calls for tolerance. The Hizmet Movement, inspired by the teachings of Turkish native Fethullah Gulen, began in the late 1960s as an initiative to build dormitories for university students. Today, followers build schools, charities and platforms for interfaith and intercultural communication.

The movement differentiates itself from extremist Islamic beliefs with its emphasis on peaceful intercultural dialogue and respect, said Osman Cubuk, Vice Chairman of the Taipei-based Formosa Institute.

Formosa Institute organizes seminars, conferences, panels and luncheons and interfaith dialogue dinners to promote diversity and multiculturalism in Taiwan. The institute is co-organizing this weekend’s conference with National Taiwan University’s College of Social Sciences.

The “International Conference on the Hizmet Movement and the Thought and Teachings of Fethullah Gulen: Contributions to Multiculturalism and Global Peace” takes place Dec. 8-9 at National Taiwan University’s College of Social Sciences.

Scholars from Taiwan, Turkey, the United States and Japan are to discuss issues such as Gulen’s contributions to democracy, modern Islamic theology, science, education and charity as well as the structure, development and finance of the movement.

Source: The China Post , December 6, 2012

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Sacred, Secular, Twin Tolerations and the Hizmet Movement

Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz For me, the month of November is a month of conferences that I have to both endure but also enjoy. From New Orleans, I flew to Lahore to present a paper at another international conference titled “Ideal Human and Ideal Society in the Thoughts of M. Fethullah Gülen.” Scholars from many parts […]

Yalçınbayır: Turkey has tendency towards institutionalization of bribery, corruption

Former Deputy Prime Minister and a former leading member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Ertuğrul Yalçınbayır said on Sunday that bribery and corruption have always been in Turkish politics and that there is a tendency toward the institutionalization of such crimes in the country.

‘Latest developments increased recognition of Hizmet Movement globally’

Madiambal Diagne who is the editor-in-chief of a leading newspaper, Le Quotidien, in Senegal, stated that conflict between Hizmet Movement and Turkish government has paved way for Hizmet Movement to gain recognition worldwide extensively.

Whistleblower Fuat Avni: Gov’t to plant weapons in Hizmet buildings to declare it terrorist group

A government whistleblower who tweets under the pseudonym Fuat Avni has alleged that the government is planning to plant weapons and ammunition in houses and buildings used by followers of the Hizmet movement in order to declare the movement a terrorist organization ahead of the upcoming general election.

Tensions rise in Germany’s Turkish diaspora, mirroring splits in Turkey

The group has been active in Germany for many years, operating 150 tutoring centres in the country, 30 government-recognised schools and a dozen interfaith dialogue projects. It has long been seen as a moderate Islamic group although it has faced criticism over a lack of transparency.

Pak Turk Schools employees in UN protection after visa extensions turned down

As many as 108 Turkish employees of the Pak Turk Schools, along with their families, have been in the United Nations’ protection after Pakistani authorities denied them an extension in their visas to work in the country. The applicants had told UNHCR they feared arrest, coercion and torture by the Erdogan government in Turkey in case the Pakistani government forcibly deported them to Istanbul.

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

Fethullah Gulen: Turkey’s Eroding Democracy (op-ed in NY Times)

Bank Asya’s corporate governance rating increases

Kimse Yok Mu gives away meat aid to six thousand Afghan families

Erdogan’s Private Youth Army

Gülen ‘speechless’ on gov’t action plan against Hizmet movement

Pro-gov’t journalist says jailed Gulenists should be forced to commit suicide

Turkish school shelters locals in earthquake-hit Nepal

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News