Hizmet Symposium: Academics Foster Peacebuilding Advocacy

Date posted: November 2, 2013

Hizmet, or service, is one of the largest social movements in the world.

The Rumi Forum organized an international symposium called the “Hizmet Movement and Peacebuilding for Global Cases” at the National Press Club Ballroom in Washington D.C.

Academics and scientists from more than 20 countries presented topics covering the impact of Hizmet Movement to world peace.

The symposium held several seminars and discussed peacebuilding efforts in third world countries as well as how to expand social work in America.

Ori D’soltes, Professorial Lecturer, Georgetown University: “You have to be more altruistic and a bit more conscious of others than yourself, and the Hizmet movement is all about that.”

Mr. Fethullah Gulen, an author and an intellectual, started the movement and devoted his entire life to do Hizmet.

Turkish by nationality, he’s also known as “Hocaefendi” or the respected teacher.

Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, South African Ambassador to the United States: “I have only encountered with the Hizmet movement, the Turkish movement, in South Africa, the Gulen movement, and globally – just service. Building schools and teaching. Building hospitals and teaching. Building relief centers, dialogue centers and getting the message out.”

The Hizmet movement has established hundreds of educational and communal organizations and institutions in over 140 countries.

Dr. Faruk Taban, President, Turkic American Alliance: “The Hizmet movement symposium is open to the public, so they are welcome to ask questions – the negative and the positive – to really understand. I think they’re going to get satisfactory answers to clear any prejudgments and prejudices.”

Over the past decade, Kimse Yok Mu, translated as “is anyone there?” has devoted one of the most expansive Hizmet work globally by providing aid, health services and education to the poor.

Metin Cetiner, International Relations Coordinator, Kimse Yok Mu: “In case there is a disaster in any part of the world, we contact our volunteers there in that country and then we are trying to realize what is the need and we decide what to do, together.”

The success of this service movement depends on how people work together to accomplish greater goals.

The Hizmet movement integrates spiritual development with social work and as this symposium demonstrated — it successfully inspires individuals to spread education, reduce poverty and revitalize the faith within their own communities.

Source: Ebru Tv , October 31, 2013