Friendship Dinner hosted by Pacific Dialogue Foundation in Philippines


Date posted: August 31, 2012

The Pacific Dialogue Foundation, Inc. and Integrative Center for Alternative Development Foundation, Inc., hosted the “Friendship Dinner” on August 30, 2012. It was held at Crowne Plaza, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. The dinner was attended by several prominent government officials including Senator Teofisto Guingona, Congresswoman Aliah Dimaporo, Congresswoman Imelda Dimaporo, Congresswoman Reena C. Obillo, Congressman Rufus Rodriguez and San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez.

Heads of different government and private offices, presidents and academicians from various universities, representatives of different religious organizations, executives and chairman of several business organizations and other sectors were present also in this event. The event was indeed a success.

Mr. Ferhat Kazkondu, the President of Pacific Dialogue Foundation, Inc. gave the opening remarks in the program. After welcoming and thanking the guests, he said “it is wonderful to see all friends here, from different offices and from different backgrounds. He also emphasized “that representing the goodness is more important and more meaningful than just talking about it.” He concluded his remarks by saying that “tonight in this Friendship Dinner, we strongly believe that friendship, co-existence and harmony are already being represented”.

After Mr. Ferhat Kazkondu, the keynote speaker Mr. Umit Goker from Turkey delivered a speech that emphasized certain quotes and messages from Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen. Among others, he highlighted the importance of values on caring and compassion, sincerity and modesty in the heart. He ended his message with another saying from Fethullah Gulen which stated that “love is the most direct and safest way to human perfection. It is difficult to attain the rank of human perfection through ways that do not contain love.”

Congresswoman Aliah Dimaporo gave also a short message in the program that describes her first encounter with Turkish people and her admiration for Turkey as a country, which she has visited last year. Indeed, the values and experiences that she had treasured from her educational and cultural trip to Turkey have helped her conceptualized a cause which she applied in her province. She completed her message with a Turkish proverb “if there is life, there is hope”.

Senator Teofisto Guingona served as the last speaker in the program. His message focused in the importance of dialogue not only in the Philippines but also in other parts of the world.

The Pacific Dialogue Foundation, in partnership with other foundations will continue to further realize its goal. It will remain steadfast in its effort to reach-out to other sectors to advance and widen its horizon to stay relevant and true to its mission of promoting a world of peace in which people of diverse culture, religions, race, backgrounds or beliefs can freely pursue their lives in the interest of the common good through dialogue, by upholding the primacy of universal values such as tolerance, understanding, compassion, mutual respect, and fairness for peaceful co-existence.

Source: Pacific Dialogue Foundation , October 8, 2012


Related News

A Different Kind of Coup? Why You Should Care About A “Reclusive” Turkish Imam in Pennsylvania

We should consider not only what people say about Fethullah Gülen, but what he says himself. Decades of speeches and publications make this possible and reveal certain attributes. For example, Gülen advocates a form of Sufi humanism. He seeks collaborative relationships across religious, cultural, and national borders. He is concerned about the poor and marginalized around the world.

The Dialogue Eurasia Platform serves world peace for 15 years

The DAP is operating in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.

Catholic University of Leuven establishes Fethullah Gülen Chair

HATİCE AVCI, LEUVEN A chair named after the well-respected Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen has been established at one of Belgium’s most prestigious Catholic universities, the Catholic University of Leuven, with university officials saying it is a source of pleasure for them to have a chair named after Gülen. The Fethullah Gülen Chair for Intercultural Studies […]

Concluding statement of the International panel on Mary announced

The international panel, titled “Mary in the Holy Scripture and Qur’an,” which was jointly held by the Journalists and Writers Foundation’s (GYV) Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADİP), the Tevere Institute and İzmir Intercultural Dialogue Center (İZDİM), was concluded with a statement.

Pak-Turk School Campus groundbreaking ceremony

Unal Tosur, Chairman of Pak-Turk ICEF, said plot of the School campus was purchased by a group of Pakistani philanthropists. The school will be equipped with the state of the art educational materials and furniture by the businessmen from the city of Kayseri, Turkey.

New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan visited Turkish Cultural Center in Manhattan

Hon. Maggie Hassan, Governor of New Hampshire visited the Turkish Cultural Centers’
headquarters in Manhattan.Hassan spoke very highly of TCC-New Hampshire’s activities and underlined the contributions of
these intercultural dialog organizations to the society.

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

Gulen Followers Living in Europe Receive Death Threats, Feel Intimidated

Turkish volunteer doctors build bridges between Tanzania and Turkey

Hizmet movement and Kurdish question in Turkey

Nigeria won’t allow mistreatment of her students by Turkey – Presidency

Ethiopian schools put Turkey on curriculum

Erdoğan’s accusation that Hizmet organized the coup attempt is noxious and absurd

Cameroonian Governor Thanked Turkish Nation for the Turkish Schools

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News