Establishing a Culture of Coexistence and Mutual Understanding Conference convenes in Nigeria


Date posted: November 19, 2009

A two day conference titled “Establishing a Culture of Coexistence and Mutual Understanding: Exploring Fethullah Gülen’s Thought and Action” got underway in Nigeria’s capital on Friday. Scholars from thirteen different countries have gathered for the conference at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

The event has been organized by Abuja-based Ufuk Dialogue Foundation and The Fountain magazine—a bimonthly magazine of scientific and spiritual thought.

The conference kicked off with the singing of the Nigerian National Anthem followed by a welcome address from Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Rifat Koksal.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference Köksal suggested that in order to overcome the uncertainties created after the Cold War era, we need to move beyond simple tolerance and attain a new definition of mutual understanding and coexistence. “This conference will do this in the Nigerian context,” said Köksal. He compared Nigeria to Turkey by means of its ethnic pluralism and suggested that these multiplicities should be seen as richness and not sources of problems. Referring to Turkish schools opened in Nigeria, Köksal underlined that these schools would build bridges not only between Nigeria and Turkey, but between all 120 countries in which they operate.

Due to illness, famed Turkish scholar Fetullah Gulen, who was to be the keynote speaker at the conference, sent his greetings from America. Gulen’s message was read by a member of the conference’s organizing committee, Professor Kyari Mohammed.

In his message Gülen thanked the Nigerian authorities for having welcomed Turkish schools and teachers to their country, which “has a crucial role in Africa with its great population and strategic geographic position, [and is] a country that has enormous potential to be an exemplary land with its rich ethnic, cultural and religious mosaic.” Gülen also reiterated his belief in the goodness and beauty in the essence of humanity and that “one day we will attain that high level of humanity this essence calls us to.”

The Nigerian Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmet Rufai emphasized the importance of the conference’s message. She said co-existence and mutual understanding would create a pathway to world peace.

The conference organizers stressed that Nigeria is an important place to hold the conference due to its cultural diversity and the rising Hizmet volunteer movement within the country.

In recent years the Hizmet movement, inspired by scholar Fethullah Gulen’s ideas, have established 16 schools, a university and an hospital in Nigeria.

The movement has been working proactively with the media and in the field of education to combat poverty in Nigeria.

Source: Ebru Tv , Nov 19, 2011


Related News

Gov’t pressure to shut down Turkish schools sparks outcry

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government’s attempts to shut down Turkish schools abroad that are affiliated with the Hizmet movement, which is inspired by the teachings of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen, have sparked an outcry among opposition figures and diplomats, who criticize the government for “abusing education because of personal hostility.”

Gülen movement forms supranational new elite

BÜLENT KENEŞ, ALİ İHSAN AYDIN On the second day of a conference titled “Muslim World in Transition: Contributions of the Gülen Movement,” inaugurated at the British House of Lords on Thursday, academics from around the world focused on Gülen’s ideas and the impact of the Gülen movement on the Islamic world. In the morning session […]

Hizmet’s role in global peace, interfaith dialogue highlighted in African conference

The role of the Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement, has been highlighted during an international conference held in the Republic of Benin attended by African religious leaders and intellectuals.

Hizmet movement could be powerful argument for education

Taipei, Dec. 11 (CNA) The Hizmet movement, a social movement inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, could be a powerful argument for the theory that people need only good education to bring out the goodness in them, a U.S. scholar said Saturday. Mark Owen Webb, chairman of the Department of Philosophy at Texas Tech […]

Ethiopian president hails contribution of Turkish schools to education

Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome said Turkish schools in Ethiopia are considered to be a major contributing factor to the education sector in the country. “There are Turkish schools [along] with the growing number of international and Ethiopian students in the country. As far as providing quality education, it is helping in the development of education, and we don’t have any problems with the schools,” he added.

What I Saw In Turkey

Everywhere in Turkey, people are talking about the clampdown on the Turkish media. The situation is quite dire. At Samanyolu, a TV station, has 14 broadcast channels in Turkey, English, Arabic and Kurdish and dozens of radio stations and popular news portals. Foreign news chief, Adnan Tokkapi, said its general manager, Hidayet Karaca, has been held in prison without conviction since December 2014.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

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

In Case You Missed It

NATO Secretary Rasmussen praises the Turkish schools in Afghanistan

What is lacking in democratization package is democracy itself

Turkish American Society Builds Bridges

Reception for ‘Time in Turkey’ held in New York

So you say Fethullah Gülen is a terrorist?

Unbelievably corrupt!

Graduation ceremony of Turkish School in Kenya

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News