
21 November 2011, Monday / ALİ H. ASLAN, WASHINGTON The White House, on its official website, commended the Washington-based Rumi Forum, an international organization promoting interfaith dialogue and peace, for its work in fostering “inter-religious and intercultural understanding” in a “consistent” manner since its establishment in 1999. The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood […]

U.S. critics of Gulen claim that an extreme Islamic fundamentalist lies beneath his public statements and that he is someone who wants to bring Sharia law to both Turkey and the U.S. In Turkey, though, his enemies portray him as a Zionist puppet of the CIA and Israel.

In his message Gülen thanked the Nigerian authorities for having welcomed Turkish schools and teachers to their country, which “has a crucial role in Africa with its great population and strategic geographic position, [and is] a country that has enormous potential to be an exemplary land with its rich ethnic, cultural and religious mosaic.”

“Gülen-inspired schools have been operating in Nigeria for over 13 years now. This conference will put Mr. Gülen’s thought on the social and cultural map of this country,” Tamer Çopuroğlu, president of the newly founded Ufuk [Horizon] Dialogue Foundation, told Today’s Zaman.

ALYSON NEEL, İSTANBUL Turkish charity groups are putting the final touches on preparations to help the less fortunate both in Turkey and across the globe during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), which begins on Nov. 6. It is that time of year again in Turkey, as aid organizations such as […]

The Rumi Forum, an international organization promoting interfaith dialogue and peace, presented awards celebrating peace and dialogue initiatives at their annual Peace and Dialogue Awards ceremony in Washington on Tuesday. Bishop Desmond Tutu’s daughter Naomi accepted the Extraordinary Commitment to Dialogue and Reconciliation Award on behalf of her father, which she said her father accepted as a great honor.

A total of TL 65,056,527 ($37 million) was donated during a live fundraising telecast on local Samonyolu TV channels and radio stations. More than 9,000 people reached out in support of the earthquake victims by sending SMS text messages during the telethon.

Somali students on Monday filled the classrooms of the famine-stricken country’s first Turkish high school, which the Turkish charity the Nile Organization established in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Education Minister Ibrahim noted that “cities other than Mogadishu are also seeking to have similar Turkish schools.”

Gülen expressed his grief over the deaths of dozens of security members during terrorist attacks in the country’s Southeast last week. He also expressed his disappointment over the Turkish military’s failure to end PKK terrorism over the past 30 years.

18 October 2011, Tuesday / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL In his latest speech broadcast on the herkul.org website, prominent Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen called on Turks to donate sacrificial animals to hunger-stricken African countries, but also recommended people not neglect Turkey’s impoverished Southeast. Turkish charity groups are once again preparing to help the less fortunate […]

11 October 2011, Tuesday / TODAY’S ZAMAN, ANKARA Topi, speaking at a joint press conference following his meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gül late on Monday in Ankara, recalled that there are two Turkish universities and many Turkish high schools in his country and praised the Turkish entrepreneurs who contributed to those institutions. Albanian President […]