Int’l language festival students given high-level welcome in Australia

Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove is presented a gift by one of the contestants of the 13th International Language and Culture Festival. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove is presented a gift by one of the contestants of the 13th International Language and Culture Festival. (Photo: Today's Zaman)


Date posted: June 8, 2015

ENES CANSEVER/ ZAFER POLAT/ SYDNEY

Some 60 students from 19 countries who came to Australia as part of the 13th International Language and Culture Festival have received an enthusiastic welcome by senior Australian officials.

Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove hosted the students at his official residence with his spouse, Lynne Cosgrove, on Saturday. Saying that he was pleased to see Australia hosting this year’s International Language and Culture Festival, Cosgrove praised the initiative’s efforts for global peace during the students’ visit. “As we all know, the world is unsettled and is being faced with some serious challenges which can cause great division. … What we aspire for is a unified world, where people not only respect each other but embrace and display altruistic traits. It’s great to see those who share this vision of sustaining global peace have put this ideal into practice. Through their efforts we are seeing peace bloom in the lands they are serving; and it is through education that we have harnessed the talents of these aspiring individuals. It is great to see we are all working towards universal peace,” Cosgrove said.

The governor-general and his wife then accepted gifts the students brought from their home countries. The students sang songs in Turkish and English during their visit.

Australia will for the first time host an International Language and Culture Festival on Sunday. The festival is organized by Sirius Educational Institutions, which have been active in Australia for years.

The first 11 editions of the event were hosted in Turkey, but due to government hostility and the ongoing persecution of the Gülen movement, or Hizmet movement — which is involved in organizing the culture festival — the organizers have held the event in various countries since 2014 to avoid potential problems.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused the Hizmet movement of attempting to overthrow his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, but has failed to present evidence to support this allegation.

Source: Today's Zaman , June 06, 2015

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

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

According to Dabiri-Erewa: “The Federal Government is taking the detention of Nigerian students by Turkish authorities seriously. It seems that Turkey is trying to get at Nigeria for our failure to close down the 17 schools they requested. The government did not close down these schools because their owners and managers, who are private people have not breached Nigerian laws.”

Enes Kanter Education Fund to award students with scholarship

Embrace Relief, in cooperation with Mr. Kanter, will be establishing a scholarship fund for new college freshmen. As many of you know, Embrace Relief is dedicated to assisting our local communities in need and helping those who are financially struggling.

International students celebrate Prophet Muhammad in Gaziantep

In an event in the southeastern city of Gaziantep on Thursday, international students from Turkish schools across the world celebrated Prophet Muhammad at a hall owned by the private Zirve University as Turkey marks Holy Birth Week.

On Hizmet exceptionalism

What is perhaps saddest about this witch-hunt is that Hizmet is a priceless resource for any government. It serves without any burden on public funds and efforts. It is a rich source of reliable manpower devoted to selfless service and ready to raise the banner of Turkey, on peaceful terms, alongside the flags of all other nations around the world. Instead of being propelled by this free energy, and benefitting from its resources, the Turkish government acts in jealousy, and tries to destroy it.

AK Party-Hizmet clash a blessing for world Muslims

The Hizmet has proven that one can remain religiously observant and rise against tyranny at the same time. Thank God the Hizmet movement is one of the main actors in Turkey that has resisted the seemingly democratic but actually autocratic AK Party government’s lawless policies.

NTIC: Showcasing Nigerians’ Academic Prowess

Considering the excellent performance of its students at various national and international competitions and examinations, which has placed Nigeria in global pedestal, the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC) has demonstrated that institutions should not only be assessed based on their position in global rankings, but by students’ performance.

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

The Hizmet movement and politics

A destructive option for Turkey takes shape

Not appearing in the worst selfie in history

Is the Hizmet movement resisting normalization?

GYV expresses concern over claims of government profiling of its citizens

Angela Merkel, Meeting With Erdogan in Turkey, Emphasizes Free Speech

Turkish-Kyrgyz educator’s abduction shows Ankara’s ruthless disregard for law: HRW

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News