Scholars to discuss tolerance at Hizmet Movement conference in Taiwan


Date posted: December 6, 2012

The China Post news staff — Scholars from Taiwan, Turkey, the United States and Japan meet in Taipei this weekend for a conference on the Hizmet Movement, a faith-inspired social movement that calls for tolerance. The Hizmet Movement, inspired by the teachings of Turkish native Fethullah Gulen, began in the late 1960s as an initiative to build dormitories for university students. Today, followers build schools, charities and platforms for interfaith and intercultural communication.

The movement differentiates itself from extremist Islamic beliefs with its emphasis on peaceful intercultural dialogue and respect, said Osman Cubuk, Vice Chairman of the Taipei-based Formosa Institute.

Formosa Institute organizes seminars, conferences, panels and luncheons and interfaith dialogue dinners to promote diversity and multiculturalism in Taiwan. The institute is co-organizing this weekend’s conference with National Taiwan University’s College of Social Sciences.

The “International Conference on the Hizmet Movement and the Thought and Teachings of Fethullah Gulen: Contributions to Multiculturalism and Global Peace” takes place Dec. 8-9 at National Taiwan University’s College of Social Sciences.

Scholars from Taiwan, Turkey, the United States and Japan are to discuss issues such as Gulen’s contributions to democracy, modern Islamic theology, science, education and charity as well as the structure, development and finance of the movement.

Source: The China Post , December 6, 2012

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