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

Fethullah Gulen Talked to Kurdish TV on Kurds, human rights and Erdogan

Fethullah Gulen Talked to Kurdish TV NRT on Kurds, human rights and Erdogan.

U.S. Judge Tosses Suit Against Reclusive Muslim Cleric

Turkey’s government funded the civil suit against Fethullah Gulen as part of a crackdown on the cleric and his movement by PresidentRecep Erdogan. A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit alleging that a reclusive Muslim cleric in Pennsylvania orchestrated human rights abuses in his native Turkey, ruling the claims didn’t belong in U.S. courts.

Former deputy Uras: Erdoğan struck deal with Ergenekon against Gülen movement

A former member of Parliament, academic Ufuk Uras claimed during an interview with a daily on Monday that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had made a deal with the leaders of the Ergenekon clandestine organization during his fight against the faith-based Gülen movement after the Dec. 17 and 25 graft investigations became public at the end of 2013.

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen offers condolences for Tahir Elçi, slain police officers

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has offered his condolences in the death of lawyer Tahir Elçi, who was the president of the Diyarbakır Bar Association, and the two police officers who were killed in a shootout in the southeastern province of Sur, which erupted as Elçi was making a statement to the press on Saturday.

The Turkey in Uganda

I’ve been in Uganda for the last 4-5 days to see the schools of the Gulen Movement. As my colleagues missed the flight I’m the only one here. But this turned out to be a good thing. As they welcomed me as the most precious guest and I could visit the houses of the Turkish […]

Al-Zuhayli says Gülen’s ideas hope of humanity

Leading Islamic scholar Al-Zuhayli said the ideas of well-respected Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen stand as a hope for humanity. Leading Islamic scholar Wahba Mustafa al-Zuhayli from Syria, a participant of the two-day “Prophet’s Path Symposium” held over the weekend, October 9and 10, 2010, said the ideas of well-respected Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen stand as a hope for humanity. […]

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

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

Parents: Pak-Turk institutions’ control should not be transferred

Kimse Yok Mu provides meal for 250 Syrians each day in southeastern Turkey

Independent deputy says there may be an attempt to pin political murders on Gülen movement

Swoboda says HSYK legislation an outright attack on rule of law

New university in Pakistan with Turkish collaboration

Albanian Ministry of Interior Violated Law in Trying to Deport Turkish National Selami Simsek

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News