
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Fountain Magazine organized an essay contest titled “What’s Your Motto?” Hundreds of essays were submitted from four corners of the world. Magdalena Rusanova from Leiden, Netherlands won the first place, winning $1,500 cash prize.

In a statement published on herkul.org, a website that broadcasts his speeches, Gülen said he was deeply saddened to see “those elderly men” standing trial in these cases, adding that he would favor their release if he was able to. “If I had the means at my disposal, I would tell them, ‘You are all free.’ How? Just like the Prophet said to all on the day of the Conquest of Mecca: ‘Go! You are all free today’.”

Zaman’s Hüseyin Gülerce denied allegations that there is tension between the government and Hizmet movement due to government’s steps to bring an end to these preparatory courses, saying that Hizmet does not own all preparatory course schools in the country. What bothers members of Hizmet is that the government has not given a clear or reasonable explanation as to why they are taking these steps, Gülerce said.

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen expressed unhappiness over government [in Turkey] plans to abolish educational institutions that assist high school students to prepare for the national university admission examination and urged people to be patient in the face of this move, which is interpreted as a blow to education in the country.

It would be a shame not to visit International Nejashi Ethio-Turkish Schools when in Ethiopia. It really is a small world! We came across vice-general manager Erol Dede at a Turkish restaurant during our tours. He was accompanying the guests who had come to attend “Media and African Renaissance Forum” by African League in Addis […]

Latest stopover in promotion event series of Islam without Extremes by journalist-author Mustafa Akyol was Salt Lake City. The event by Pacifica Institute Utah Branch at Marriott City Center saw the attendance of highly prominent guests including President Pro Tempore at Idaho State Senate, Brent Hill; Utah Senators, Gene Devis, Jim Dabakis; Representatives Lynn Hemingway […]

In Sri Lanka, the Hizmet Movement started the Learnium School as well as the Intercultural Dialogue Foundation. Initially, the funding for the school came from the Movement until it managed to support itself on its own income. Kimse Yok Mu was among the first to respond to the devastating tsunami that hit Sri Lanka. Large amounts of food and other requirements that the tsunami victims needed were supplied without any fanfare.

Turkish Cultural Center Maine honors Governor LePage at its first friendship dinner. Speakers point to business and education ties and potential [between Turkey and State of Maine] as the governor and two others receive awards. Several state legislators who attended the dinner have gone on one of the three trips the Turkish Cultural Center has organized for lawmakers to visit Turkey. There also are educational ties between Maine and Turkey.

The Journalists and Writers Foundation is organizing a two-day international summit entitled “Women’s Perspectives on UN Post-2015 Development Agenda” in Istanbul, which will be held by on May 31-June 1, 2014. As the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approaches this summit specifically aims to highlight women’s perspectives, experiences and opinions on the UN development goals.

Turkish humanitarian aid association Kimse Yok Mu has announced that it will donate $1 million to the victims of the typhoon-hit Philippines from its emergency funds. The death toll in the Philippines is believed to have exceeded 10,000. The typhoon, with winds raging at 275 kilometers an hour, has left behind scenes one would expect to see in the apocalypse, according to Kimse Yok Mu volunteers.

The Turkish schools around the globe have been making great effort for Izmir’s EXPO 2020 win. The schools and businessmen have taken action so that Bureau of International Expositions committee opts for Turkey in the voting to take place in Paris on November 27th. “What is lost with Olympics can be made up for in EXPO,” Fethullah Gulen had earlier said.

Hizmet says it is both practically and theoretically impossible to form a political party or to support a specific party, as it has volunteers from many different political ideologies. “This movement, which has no other goals than to serve humanity, would only advise its volunteers to form their political stances according to certain principles, like human rights, democracy, transparency, justice, pluralism, rule of law and freedom of expression and belief,” the statement said.

Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) was the first such organization from Turkey to send aid to the Philippines, which is struggling to recover after being hit on Friday by Typhoon Haiyan. Reaching the area with military helicopters, a team of 10 people began search and rescue activities and 25 tons of food packages were distributed to 6,500 victims in cooperation with Philippine officials.

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen donated to the Kimse Yok Mu foundation $10,000 for the victims of the Typhoon Haiyan disaster in the Philippines. “According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [UNOCHA], 4.3 million people have been affected by the typhoon and 330,000 people are now homeless. Ninety percent of the houses in Tacloban city have been damaged,” AFAD stated recently.