Dialogue and Friendship Dinner in Portland, Oregon


Date posted: November 20, 2013

On November 13th, 2013, Pacifica Institute’s Portland chapter held its 5th Annual Dialogue and Friendship Dinner having the author-journalist Mustafa Akyol, accompanied by his wife Ryada Akyol, as its keynote speaker. The dinner was attended by Turkish and American academics and businessmen.

I.U., a Pacifica Institute volunteer, kicked off the night with his opening address. Next were testimonials by Michael Marshman and Lisa Naito, who had been on a Turkey trip organized by Pacifica Institute. Marshman said Turkey is the most beautiful country he has ever been to and recommended that every able person go there. Sufi music was performed along as the attendees enjoyed a warm and friendly conversation.

In his keynote speech centered on his book “Islam without Extremes,” Mustafa Akyol pointed out the fact that Islam is misrepresented. Akyol further argued we need to make a clear distinction between culture and religion when defining the reasons behind particular practices. He instanced his personal experiences to clarify his point.

Published [in Turkish] on Zaman Amerika, November 14, 2013.

Source: HizmetMovement.Com , November 19, 2013

Tags: | | |


Related News

Imam who lives in rural Pennsylvania arouses praise, concerns

Andrew Conte SAYLORSBURG — Just a short drive on a two-lane road from the Dunkin’ Donuts here, the Golden Generation Retreat Center hardly seems like the home of one of the world’s leading Islamic thinkers. A metal gate at the driveway stands open, and no fences or walls protect the 25-acre property from suburban homes […]

Clergy share ideals as source of peace

Quotations from Jewish, Muslim, and Christian scriptures mixed easily with personal reflections as a Conservative rabbi, a Muslim imam, and a Lutheran minister joined together April 14 at Drew University in Madison for a lunchtime discussion on “Religion as a Source of Peace.”

This man stood up to Trump. In Turkey he was branded a terrorist

for Fatih Yildirim, the Muslim dad in the picture, becoming a viral sensation has been bittersweet. While he was lauded in global media outlets as diverse as Time and Good Housekeeping, back in his native Turkey Yildirim became the subject of a hostile media campaign that branded him a terrorist.

Ramadan Fast Highlights Shared Religious Practices

As part of the month-long celebration of Ramadan, the Turkish Cultural Center (TCC) of Queens hosted its annual interfaith Ramadan Iftar Dinner July 24 at the Woodhaven Manor. Throughout history, many of the disputes have been based on religious ideologies. By bringing all the faiths together at the Iftar dinner, members of different religions could understand that similarities, like fasting, do exist.

What Bishop Welby’s appointment reminds: Are we responding to God’s calling?

Levent Koç* November 12, 2012 I heard from some of my clergy friends that they chose to become pastors because they responded to God’s calling. In fact, you may hear from any person God has called to pursue a certain mission; he/she responds to the calling so as to become a good servant of God, […]

Sophia Pandya on Hizmet Movement

Dr. Sophia Pandya specializes in women, religion, and globalization. She received her BA from UC Berkeley in Near Eastern Studies/Arabic, and her MA and PhD from UCSB in Religious Studies, with a focus on women and Islam. She co-edited the book titled The GulenHizmet Movement and its Transnational Activities: Case Studies of Altruistic Activism in Contemporary Islam.

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

Pakistani students compete to advance to final of Turkish Olympiads

Hizmet-affiliated schools removed from private school incentive list

‘Mr. Gülen is to me simultaneously both incredibly modest and a visionary’

Prof. Ergil: Gülen is in general a very bashful person

Fethullah Gülen extends condolences over death of Turkish literary giant

Erdoğan isolates himself in power

PKK terrorism, piety and the Gülen movement

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News