“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

‘Even deeper than 9/11’

In my humble opinion, following the tragic events in Boston, there are two questions before us that we must contemplate deeply on. First, despite all the efforts of the Obama administration to ease the tension in the air, why is the US still being subject to terrorist actions that Muslims seem to have taken a […]

The Process Behind Turkey’s Proposed Extradition of Fethullah Gülen

By publicly campaigning for Gülen’s immediate extradition—before a formal request had been submitted—Turkish officials reinforced the idea that the United States is somehow protecting Gülen or resisting the extradition process. That is not true. There will be critics of any eventual decision, just as there are critics of the delay in reaching a decision. Whatever the result, both governments should communicate the decision with consideration for the long-term relationship and should operate on the assumption that the other is acting in good faith.

Another thousands of locals now have access to drinking water in Chad and Cambodia

Kimse Yok Mu Foundation (KYM), which has been carrying out water projects in numerous countries particularly in Africa, recently made 15 water wells available to the locals in Cambodia. Having a record of 286 water wells in Chad, the foundation will raise the number to 362 after the completion of 76 of them. The latest two projects will allow 20 thousand locals to drink clean water in Cambodia and Chad.

Dozens of US Congress members attend major convention of Turkic Americans

Dozens of members of the United States Congress, as well as US administration officials and other leading public figures, attended the fourth annual convention organized by the Turkish American Alliance (TAA), the biggest umbrella organization of Turkic Americans, reiterating the solid ties between the people of the US and Turkey.

Kimse Yok Mu extends help to refugees trying to reach Europe

International charity organization Kimse Yok Mu delivered aid boxes to the Syrian refugees who are waiting on Edirne border through which they plan to reach European countries.

Fethullah Gulen talks to major international media on Turkey coup attempt

An interview with Fethullah Gulen, the self-exiled Turkish leader whom Erdogan accused of being behind yesterdays’s coup. Mr. Gulen lives in a compound in Saylorsburg, PA. Fetullah Gulen gave an interview to major media representatives at his Saylorsburg, PA compound. NYT’s Stephanie Saul filmed it.  

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

French coach Tigana to donate computer lab to Turkish school in Mali

What a shame, what a pity

Kimse yok mu reaffirms commitment to assist Somalia

African Union president demands more Turkish schools

Who stalls the reforms [in Turkey]?

America’s Friends Get Arrested in Turkey’s Post-Coup Purges

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu helps the homeless after floods in Zimbabwe

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News