Conference on Hizmet movement to take place in Senegal


Date posted: February 8, 2013

As the faith-based Hizmet movement widens its activities around the globe in areas such as fostering education and launching humanitarian efforts to heal social and economic woes in different regions, academic research on the motives and nature of the movement is also surging, and a conference is set to take place in the West African country of Senegal.

Ebru Magazine, a French-language offshoot of Turkey’s high-circulation monthly magazine Sızıntı, is organizing the conference this week in Dakar, Senegal, one of the major ports of West Africa.

The Atlantique Turquie-Sénégal Association (ATSA), Cheikh Anta Diop University and the Senegalese Ministry of Education are also among the coordinators of the conference, scheduled to kick off on Feb. 9, this Saturday.

Prime Minister Abdoul Mbaye will honor the reception dinner on Feb. 8, where an exhibition of sacred relics from İstanbul’s Topkapı Palace Museum will be displayed. “Diversity & Cohesion in a Globalized World: Contributions of the Hizmet Movement” is the title of the conference, with Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen’s ideas the main theme to be discussed by academics attending from 12 countries.

Participants include Professor Marcia Hermansen (US), Professor Elena Biagi (Italy), Professor Hervé Legrand (France), Professor Filip Stanciu (Romania), Professor Yasien Mohamed (South Africa) and Professor Jakip Mohamed (Morocco). Well-known Turkish scholar Professor Suat Yıldırım and Professor İrfan Yılmaz will also be speaking at the conference. In addition to case studies on the Hizmet movement’s activities around the world the following themes will be covered during the conference: religion and globalization, Sufism and multiculturalism, restoring Muslim identity, conflict and reconciliation, investing in social capital and ethical education.

Senegalese people are familiar with the prestigious Yavuz Selim Colleges established by Turkish entrepreneurs in Dakar and other cities. “With this conference, Senegalese people will be introduced to the fact that there are schools in over 140 countries that operate with similar motives of dialogue among nations, peaceful coexistence and respect, originating from Fethullah Gülen’s thoughts,” said Enes Muslukçu, editor-in-chief of Ebru.
Source: Today’s Zaman 7 February 2013

Related News

Somali denies allegations that ‘aid supplies did not reach camp’

The claim was also denied by the person in charge of the camp, Ibrahim Abdinur Muhammed, demonstrating that defamatory activities are being conducted by pro-government media outlets against Hizmet movement.
Muhammed said the organization had helped 450 families living in the camp and that it continues to send assistance to the camps in six other locations in Somali in the form of health and food supplies and clothing as well as education tools.

As Turkey’s war on Gulen escalates, so does impact on Africa

While critics say that Gülen is at best a cult figure, he is considered by many the legitimate spiritual leader of an Islamic movement that is focused on humanitarian service – hence the common name Hizmet – as well as interfaith dialogue and education.

Foreign Minister Babacan visits Turkish school in Dakar

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan paid a visit yesterday to the Turkish school Yavuz Selim in the Senegalese capital of Dakar, on the sidelines of a foreign ministerial-level meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, Babacan said Turkey must have a presence in all African countries. “Some people […]

Kimse Yok Mu to launch 1000 “field schools” project in Africa

International aid organization Kimse Yok Mu is launching a new project to help improve education in Africa – KYM Field Schools. The project is about the foundation of 1000 schools for primary education of African children and submission of schools to local authorities.

Erdogan’s Changing Aspirations for Somalia

Somalia has been one of the centers to the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The East African country has been crumbled for long years by many inextricable catastrophes including famine, drought, militancy and instability.

Conference on Hizmet Movement to be held in Taipei

The conference, held under the banner “Hizmet Movement and the Thought and Teachings of Fethullah Gulen: Contributions to Multiculturalism and Global Peace,” is slated to take place Dec. 8-9 at National Taiwan University’s College of Social Sciences.

Latest News

Sacramento leaders gather for Iftar dinner in celebration of Ramadan

SEO Skill Suite: Tools for Keyword Research, Technical & Backlink Analysis

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

In Case You Missed It

Top Three Reasons Why Turkey’s President Erdogan is Obsessed with Gulen

When the masks have fallen

Media Imposes Official Ideology, Creating Negative non-Muslim Image

‘Turkish people not silly to believe slanderous news about Gülen’

‘Parallel’ paranoia reaches the kitchen of Parliament

72-year-old Turkish man detained over coup charges

RTÜK suspends 20 SHaber TV shows, harshest penalty of all times

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News