
SEVGİ AKARÇEŞME, İSTANBUL The democratization package unveiled by the governing AK Party (Justice and Development Party) on Sept. 30 further disappointed already discouraged Alevis who have been expecting the state to officially recognize their houses of worship in accordance with other steps taken to equate all faiths in the country and this frustration led a […]

The international panel entitled “The Virgin Mary in the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur’an” jointly organized by Journalists and Writers Foundation’s Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADIP), Roma Tevere Instituto and Izmir Intercultural Dialogue Center took place in Istanbul. In the final declaration of the panel, it was noted that the Virgin Mary who broke many discriminative taboos of her time played a significant role throughout history in placing women in the status they deserve.

The Peace Islands Institute (PII) held a discussion panel on October 28, titled “A Year After Hurricane Sandy: Climate Change and Disaster Management” in order to raise awareness on climate change and disaster management, to highlight disaster management planning, to explore effective ways to respond to natural disasters during and after emergency and to handle the emergency situations.

Turkish humanitarian aid organizations have sent rescue teams to the Philippines. “A 10-member rescue team of ours has already reached the Philippines,” Yusuf Yıldırım, who is in charge of foreign aid at Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There?), has told Today’s Zaman. The humanitarian aid organization will also distribute 6,500 food packages to the victims.

Colégio Belo Futuro, the Turkish school, in Brazil’s Sao Paulo has launched a math contest to be annual that received remarkable interest. Being the nation’s first privately-initiated math contest, “BELOMAT” saw the participation of a large number of students and education professionals in its first year. The contest aimes to encourage participation in national and international math events.

Niagara Foundation, active across 11 states in Midwest, held its annual award ceremony on November 5th in Columbus, Ohio. Aimed to promote education and dialogue, the foundation’s annual event drew a large attendance of prominent guests including assembly members, academics and religious figures. Serkan Aykan, Niagara Foundation Ohio director, delivered the opening address of the […]

Famine, civil war and conflicts in Africa have left thousands of orphans behind. Yagmur Magazine and Kimse Yok Mu Foundation have jointly launched a projects aimed to lift up those orphans. The profit made out of the poetry album Goklerin Titreyişi (meaning shudders of the skies) will be donated to the African children in need. […]

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen had harsh words for the perpetrators of domestic violence, a bleeding wound in Turkish society that has worsened in recent years. [Domestic violence] incidents continued despite some promising steps Turkey has taken to address the issue of domestic violence, which has attracted more media attention and a greater reaction from the public in recent years.

Afghan-Turkish schools are source of pride for the country as they won 147 medals this year at international Science olympiads. They won 75 medals last year. The Education Minister made a speech underlining that Turkey had always helped his country in education. He said, “Today, this ceremony’s purpose is to celebrate the efforts the students show and the high quality education these schools provide.”

Somalia, which is trying to relieve with Anatolian aid campaigns, thanks to Turkish people. Somalian Ambassador to Ankara, H.E. Mohamed Mursal Sheikh expressed his gratitude for the aid campaign organized by Turkey at Eid ul-Adha. He said: “We experienced the true Eid al-Adha by your friendship and great support.”

Mehmet Simsek, the Minister of Finance, spent the first day of Eid-Al-Adha at his hometown, Batman, an ethnically diverse city in the Southeastern Turkey. There he attended Kimse Yok Mu Association’s brotherhood event. When Simsek was told that a thousand volunteers from outside the city were gathered in Batman for the Eid-Al-Adha, he replied “Then, I’d be the thousand and first one!”

Third Eye 3D (Three-Dimensional) Installation Exhibition was arranged by PakTurk International Schools and Colleges. Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Sadik Babur Girgin was the guest of honour at the event. He curiously listened to the explanations and insights offered by young students while appreciating their endeavour. He expressed keen interest and joy about the intellectual ideas of students.

Senegalese Media Owners Association Chair Madiambal Diagne says that the Turks should also be appreciated because of their approach toward education. “The best way to help people in another country like ours is to extend support in the field of education. The people who receive this educational support become industrious and decent and do their job properly.

Professors said that Hizmet is an anti-violence group that uses education and dialogue to achieve its goals. Dr. Amidu Olalekan Sanni, Lagos State University, Nigeria: “I think the Hizmet group has been very influential in terms of human development, basically in the area of education and health. The first Hizmet university is actually based in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.”