“Noah’s Pudding Approach” to Address Immigration Problem

Former participants of the essay contest pose for a group photo in Washington DC.
Former participants of the essay contest pose for a group photo in Washington DC.


Date posted: March 13, 2013

Gulen Institute, jointly established by Houston University Graduate College of Social Work and Institute of Dialogue in Texas continuous to offer solutions and encourage action for challenges the contemporary world is facing.

 Youth Platform, which is an annually-held international essay contest under the institute’s umbrella, has recently announced the winners of 2013 essay contest with the prompt “Hospitality in the Global Village” which encouraged high school students to reflect on immigration problems and offer potential solutions.

Having received over 500 hundreds essays from 40 countries around the world and 30 states within the US, the contest committee announced the top three places along with top 30 students who have qualified for award ceremony and a complimentary Washington DC trip. George Abraham from Florida took first place for his essay: “Immigration and the Artistic Sense of Cultural Identity”. Gawoon Shim from South Korea received second place for his essay: “Hosts and Guests: We Must Learn to Live Along”. Vaishnavi Rao from California won third prize for her essay: “The Immigration Challenge: The Role of the Indian Government in the Future of Assam”. 

Among this year’s winners is a student from Private Atlantik Ahmet Ulusoy Social Sciences High School, Turkey who addressed the immigration problem in the US with introducing his ‘Noah’s pudding method”. Hasan Tugrul Akinci took the 9th place and is invited to the award ceremony to take place on April 10 in Washington DC. Akinci expressed his happiness and summed up his approach: “There is no assimilation in “Noah’s pudding method” but individual identities in a harmoniously coexisting society made up of individuals enriching one another’s values.”

U.S. Congressmen Ted Poe and Gene Green will be the co-chairs of the award ceremony on April 10. Following the award giving, the finalists will present their essays and exchange opinions in a discussion session moderated by Humboldt University English Department Chair Prof. Tom Gage and Houston University Department of Politics Chair Gregory Weiher.

In addition to participating in the award ceremony, students will have the opportunity to meet honorable U.S. Congress members, participate in follow-up discussions, visit local universities and think-tank organizations, and enjoy tourist attractions in Washington, D.C.

Source: Excerpted from the piece published [in Turkish] on Zaman newspaper, 05 March 2013. English translation is retrieved from HizmetMovement.Com

Tags: | | |


Related News

Family, friends losing hope as Calgary imam arrested in Turkey remains imprisoned

For a year, Calgary imam Davud Hanci has spent most of his days in solitary confinement in Turkey, accused of being a terrorist linked to failed 2016 coup attempt. “They’re just holding him there and they don’t want to release him because they don’t have any real evidence,” said Malik Muradov, executive director of Calgary’s Intercultural Dialogue Institute and a friend of Hanci.

Fethullah Gülen’s Statement of Condolences for Florida High School Shooting

I express my deepest condolences to all those who lost their loved ones during this tragedy, and to the people of Florida. I pray to God, the Most Compassionate, to provide comfort for the parents who lost their children and to lead our society to days of peace and tranquility.

In Houston, a celebration: Silk road festival

“Yes, I am very pleased,” Annise Parker, mayor of Houston, told me. “The community of Turks, here in particular, are very outward, extroverted and curious in a sense of cultural understanding. I wish the others, too, would be like them. They contribute a lot to our prosperity and future and teach us a lot about where they come from, Turkey.”

Dialogue Institute provides insight in Kansas City area on Turkey

Erdogan contends the failed takeover was inspired by cleric Fethullah Gulen, now in voluntary exile in the U.S. Erdogan is systematically trying to eliminate Gulen’s followers and has asked the U.S. to extradite him. Gulen has emphatically denied any involvement in the coup attempt and has suggested that it was staged as an excuse for Erdogan to stop dissenters. Gulen’s history suggests he is more humanitarian than militant.

A Canadian-Saudi’s reflections on Hizmet

We also noted the Turkish people’s respect for each other. Girls in miniskirts mingled easily with those in hijab, and so did people of various faiths. We met priests who appreciated the rights they enjoyed and saw synagogues that were well preserved and attended.

Turkish Cultural Center to hold ‘Henna Night’ fundraiser for water well construction in Africa

The Turkish Cultural Center of West Haven will hold a “Henna Night” fundraiser — for ladies only — Saturday night to raise money to benefit Embrace Relief’s projects to build water wells to provide clean drinking water for villages in Africa.

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

AFSV Denounces President Erdogan’s Seizure of Leading Newspaper Zaman

Peace Islands Institute Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Journalist Karaca sentenced to 31 years for slandering al-Qaeda-affiliated group

Kazakh students win medals at international science fair

French editor says Gülen’s messages on anti-terrorism revolutionary

Erdoğan…a factionist PM?

Turkey’s first intercultural dialogue center built on trust, offers quality services

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News