Atlantic Institute’s Annual Dialogue and Friendship Dinner in Tennessee


Date posted: December 2, 2013

Atlantic Institute, Tennessee, held its 7th Annual Dialogue and Friendship Dinner at the historic Hermitage Hotel in the state’s capital, Nashville, on November 13th. The dinner saw the attendance of a large number of prominent politicians, academics and NGO representatives and businessmen.

Japan’s Consul General in Nashville, Motohiko Kato; Tennessee Senator Bill Ketron; the president of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Sidney McPhee; and several assembly members were in attendance of the event themed “”The Value of Dialogue in our Changing Society.”

Senator Bill Ketron, in his remarks, offered his reflections on the Atlantic Institute’s dialogue and cultural trip to Turkey he earlier had attended. He highlighted Turkey’s economy and young population in addition to hailing the Turk’s hospitality he had observed throughout the trip. “I recommend that everyone attend these trips that build bridges of friendship between Tennessee and Turkey,” Ketron remarked.

Next, Dr. James Harrington, director of Texas Civil Rights Project, discussed the significance of interfaith and intercultural dialogue and Hizmet Movement’s contribution to global peace and education. Specifically, Harrington spoke highly of the movement’s contributions to educational initiatives in the eastern and southeastern Turkey.

Atlantic Institute’s foreign relations representative, Dr. Elvan Aktas, who first identified himself as a Hizmet Movement member, went on to discuss the significance and rewards of dialogue. Based on his personal experiences, Aktas elaborated on how effective the intercultural and dialogue trips are in eliminating mutual biases between the two communities.

institute also honored the individuals for their contributions in the fields of community service, education, peace, and media. Nashville Police Department Chief Steve Anderson received the community service award; MTSU president Sidney McPhee, education; Tennessee Supreme Court justice Dr. Sharon Lee, peace award; NPT president and CEO Beth Curley, media award.

A Turkish folk string instrument, baglama, performance was given along the dinner.

Published [in Turkish] on Zaman Amerika, November 20, 2013

Source: HizmetMovement.Com , December 2, 2013

Tags: | | | |


Related News

International photography contest “Peace at the Frame”

The Journalist and Writers Foundation’s (GYV) Intercultural Dialogue Platform announces its first, annual photography contest. GYV likes to draw attention one more time to the peace, which is need more than ever these days through art of photography .GYV intends to unite everybody who can put the peace at his/her frame with the expertise of the art of photography.

President Obama sends message to Gulen-inspired international cultural festival

US President Obama sends a message to Gulen-inspired “The International Festival of Language and Culture” that took place in Washington D.C. He said, “Festivals like this one allow us to bear witness to the ways hope and beauty stem from songs of inclusion.”

Dr. Phyllis Bernard’s views on Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement

Dr. Phyllis Bernard: “My speech was as much as anything else a ‘Thank you’ to the Hizmet Movement.. for making an incredible opportunity available for scholars, researchers, practitioners to understand a lot more about what stewardship in business is about. Hopefully as we continue to teach people about how business works in different places around the world, we’ll have a lot more respect and understanding for the kind of Islamic cultural values that one finds everywhere. And our entry way for that were the Hizmet Movement businesspeople; they were astoundingly fine.”

Pro-Erdogan columnist calls California ice-cream seller, “Dogs of Jews, terrorists!”

Vakkas Doğantekin, a pro-government columnist and the president of the California-based Turkish community organization, TURCA, has attacked a Turkish speaking ice-cream seller by calling him “terrorist” and “dogs of jews.”

Forget about the gentleman living in Pennsylvania, US tells Ankara

Turkey should stop discussing “the gentlemen in Pennsylvania” and instead focus on other important issues as a NATO ally, the U.S. State Department said, regarding U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Hundreds celebrate Clifton’s diversity at festival

Yesilova prepared rich Turkish coffee for those who stopped by a table for the Turkish Cultural Center at the festival, which took place at Clifton High School. The event, which featured food and performances from around the world, was part of more than a year-long commemoration of Clifton’s 100th anniversary.

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

Arinc: Gulen lights the way for us

We could not have imagined so many insults

A strong message for Erdogan

Fethullah Gulen is hopeful about future

Turkish school to train Brazil’s math geniuses

Why couldn’t Bozdağ talk about the parallel structure?

Fethullah Gülen’s message to his sympathizers in the aftermath of the coup attempt

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News