Fountain Magazine announces essay contest winners


Date posted: November 16, 2013

Hizmet News, November 16, 2013

In celebration of its 20th anniversary,  the Fountain Magazine organized an essay contest titled “What’s Your Motto?” Hundreds of essays were submitted from four corners of the world. Magdalena Rusanova from Leiden, Netherlands won the first place, winning $1,500 cash prize. Here is the list of the winners:

1st Place – The Only Memory by Magdalena Rusanova, Leiden, Netherlands
2nd Place – Embrace Mortality by Noble Lee, Houston, MN, USA
3rd Place – Mother Always Told Me by Janet Fichter, Lakewood, USAHonorable Mention – Missing Pieces by Caroline Lawrence , Greenville, South Carolina, USA
Honorable Mention – The Watermelon Towel by Elizabeth Harmatys Park, Burlington, Wisconsin, USA

“Congratulations to all winners who were selected by a jury of writers, scholars, and editors. We thank each one of the participants and appreciate all contributions,” said the the Fountain Editorial Board in a brief statement the magazine’s website.

Why did the Fountain choose this title, “What is your motto in life?” The Fountain welcomed 2013 with a new motto: On Life, Knowledge and Belief.

As the magazine has spent over two decades exploring life and its many meanings, its board have come to believe that knowledge and belief are the two most important tools for life’s journey and these three three words summarize what they want to embody in the magazine. Life is existence, with all its dimensions and veils. Knowledge is the human effort to remove these veils to reveal the truth beyond them. And belief is what gives truth its meaning and relevance to our being.

The contest was open to all writers worldwide, winners won below cash prizes:

1st Place – $1,500
2nd Place – $750
3rd Place – $300
Two Honorable Mentions – $200 each

The Fountain covers a wide range of topics including interfaith dialogue, science, technology, arts, culture and society from a faith perspective (especially Islam). It promotes a holistic approach to universe and human nature believing that science and religion are not in conflict; rather, they are two faces of the same reality. The Fountain encourages critical thought and scientific inquiry on a wide range of topics: physical science, social science, ethics, education, literature, religion, and comparative studies. All topics are to be dealt with fairly and substantively, and articles are to be balanced and judicious.


Related News

African Union Commission chair receives Gülen peace award

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, was awarded the Fethullah Gülen Peace and dialogue Award during the eighth annual Ubuntu Lecture and Dialogue Awards ceremony, held in Johannesburg on Thursday evening.

Turkish schools in Afghanistan won 147 medals this year

Afghan-Turkish schools are source of pride for the country as they won 147 medals this year at international Science olympiads. They won 75 medals last year. The Education Minister made a speech underlining that Turkey had always helped his country in education. He said, “Today, this ceremony’s purpose is to celebrate the efforts the students show and the high quality education these schools provide.”

Caucasus analyst Öztarsu: Only dialogue can solve Turkish, Armenian problems

YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN, İSTANBUL Though Turkey’s relations with Armenia have been strained by a number of historical and political issues, a Turkish Caucasus analyst who lived and studied in Armenia points out in his new book that only dialogue can solve problems. “There is a great panorama of civil society activities, and I can say […]

Lawyers highlight attempt to pin unsolved murders on Gülen

The decision by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office to re-examine cases of unsolved murders that took place between 2000 and 2013 is an attempt to pin the murders on Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet movement, a grassroots civil society organization inspired by Gülen, the scholar’s lawyers have said.

Poconos-Based Muslim Preacher Addresses Catholic-Muslim Dialogue Conference

Fethullah Gülen, the prominent Muslim scholar, preacher and peace advocate, today 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.

‘PM conducting psychological warfare [against Hizmet movement] to cover graft claims’

The Hizmet movement is a grassroots movement based on voluntary participation aimed at fostering interfaith dialogue and tolerance, with a particular emphasis on education.

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

Dialogue advocacy group ‘disturbed’ by Erdoğan’s harassment of Hizmet

HRW: 6 Turks taken from Kosovo to Turkey face risk of torture and abuse

Zaman daily launches news portal in Kurdish language

Turkish school sacrifices over 150 cows for Eidil Adha

The Muslim Way to React

Erdoğan’s harsh, xenophobic rhetoric damages fight against Islamophobia

Fethullah Gulen’s “old friend” detained by İzmir police despite suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News