Members of the world’s diverse communities find themselves increasingly interdependent. In this interconnected world, just as information and solutions spread faster, so do misinformation and conflicts. Our vision is to put the advanced means of communication, media and mobility in the service of social harmony. We aim to advance mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation amongst people from diverse backgrounds, and thus serve all humanity, without discrimination.

Toward these goals, the institute organizes academic and public events, such as symposia, conferences, luncheon forums and seminars, publishes scientific and popular works, provides student scholarships, faculty research grants, supports visiting scholar programs, and cultural exchange trips.

Among the values we share and promote are empathy, hope, love of humanity, compassion, altruism, honesty, dignity, trustworthiness, integrity, peaceful coexistence, social justice and harmony, elimination of violent conflicts and human suffering, prevention of substance abuse, saving youth from self-destruction and protection of the earth’s resources and habitats.

The perspectives of the institute are inspired by the life and works of the distinguished contemporary scholar and civic leader Fethullah Gulen.

You may visit Gulen Instiute’s web site.

Fethullah Gülen Chair in Indonesia

Fethullah Gulen Chair has been established in one of the best known universities in Indonesia. The president of Syarif Hidayetullah Islam University said he was proud of the opening of the professorial chair. The president of the University Professor Komaruddin Hidayat underlined the bilateral relations between Turkiye and Indonesia would be improved. Dialogue and tolerance messages of Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen is being heard each day around the world. The Gulen chair which has been opened in Syarif Hidayetullah Islam University is preparing to illuminate the future. The President of the University Professor Komaruddin Hidayat said: “I’m very excited and happy. We’re proud of the Gulen chair in our university since Mr. Gulen was chosen top intellectual due to his movement of volunteers.”

Many intellectuals as well as the university youth in Indonesia were in attendance of the official opening ceremony of the Gulen Chair. In his speech, the president of Syarif Hidayetullah Islam University underlined the mission of the chair, which would bring the two countries closer. Professor Komaruddin Hidayat said: “So far we have sought academic support from Arabic countries for Islamic sciences and western countries for positive sciences. Now, we’re looking to Turkiye for academic support both in Islamic and positive sciences seeing the successful performance of Turkish schools in Indonesia and the thoughts of Fethullah Gulen in prescribing the solutions of the problems of the people in our age. And I hope this chair will be a great opportunity in bringing the two countries closer.” It is planned that the Gulen chair will be turned to an institute in Indonesia where many books of Fethullah Gulen are read in the local language.

You may visit Fethullah Gulen Chair’s website.

Fethullah Gülen Chair at Australian Catholic University

The official launch of the Fethullah Gulen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic relations was held at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Victoria. The President of Victoria, John Brambi, thanked the Australian Intercultural Society for the contributions of Peace in the country.

The Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Victoria hosted the inauguration ceremony of the launch of the Fethullah Gulen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim- Catholic relations. The Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser and the Honorary President of the Australian Intercultural Society Mehmet Ali Shengul together conducted the official opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Governor Kretser stated in his inaugural address that the immigrants who increased the population of the country contributed to the multiculturalism of the country.

Prof. Dr. David De Kretser said: “There have been clashes of religious differences between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland, Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq for years. The social researches are very important in terms of preventing such clashes. To quote from Fethullah Gulen:

For a world in peace, dialog is the principal task of the people.” The President of Victoria John Brumby in his message sent to the ceremony said, “This chair is an important contribution to the multicultural structure. I would like to thank the Australian Intercultural Society for their contributions. Also the participants standing up during the azan which is Muslim call to prayer drew attention. Greg Barton of Melbourne Monash University who delivered a speech at the ceremony recalled that in the days following September 11, Muslims experienced great difficulty as they were subject to prejudice and he added that the dialog activities would end these clashes between the different faiths.

Prof. Greg Barton From Monash University Said: Barton who reminds the dialog studies all over the world by Gulen said, “To note his sensitivity to education, all these studies lead our thoughts to name this chair after Mr. Gulen.”

Among the guests were Islamic Scholars, members of the Turkish Parliament, Academicians, members of the media, columnists from international newspapers, also other VIP guests from the UAE, the UK and Turkiye and directors of large companies who support the chair.

Fethullah Gulen Chair will not only be the first in the Catholic world but it will also become a prototype in the Islamic and Turkish speaking nations. The renown Islamic scholar, thinker, poet and peace activist venerable Fethullah Gulen has been proposing solutions to global problems in the name of humanity and the future of the Islamic world for the past 30 years. These days his vision and ideologies are the main focus in many lectures and seminars organized in his name all over the world’s universities. The Chair in the Study of Islam & Catholic-Muslim Relations aims to conduct extensive research in the field and produce thesis in masters and doctorate level. The Chair, first of its kind in Australia already became the focus of the Australian Media. Beginning from 2008, it seems that the chair will play a major role with its academic level of research and projects of building solid bridges between the two religions. The Fethullah Gülen Chair is a newly created position which aims to providing academic lea
dership in research, teaching and community engagement in relation to the study of Islam and has been founded with full recognition of the plurality and diversity of Islam itself. This chair is Named in honour of Fethullah Gülen who is a Turkish-born scholar, educator, spiritual and social leader, and renowned advocate for interreligious dialogue and peace. Gülen’s interpretation of Qur’anic teaching seeks to enable Muslims to live their Islamic faith in modern situations and make a positive contribution to the transformation of society. Gülen is especially noted in Catholic circles for his private audience with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1998, which marked an important step forward in Muslim- Christian relations.

You may learn more about Fethullah Gulen Chair by visiting this page.

The Fethullah Gülen Chair for Intercultural Studies at Catholic University of Leuven

The Fethullah Gülen Chair for Intercultural Studies was officially inaugurated on 7 December 2010. The chair has been established for 5 years. In the first place, it is intended to finance research conducted at the Interculturalism, Migration and Minorities Research Centre. In time, a guest professor may be appointed to teach, among others, in the anthropology programme. Professor Johan Leman, co-ordinator of the Interculturalism, Migration and Minorities Research Centre at K.U.Leuven, has been appointed the holder of a chair for intercultural research. Amongst other things, he will examine the integration of Muslim communities in Europe.

Visit the chair’s website.