Alevis have been traditionally considering themselves a minority because their interpretation of Islam differs from the state’s understanding. In such a climate, the Abant Platform organized [a Gulen Movement affiliated organization] a three-day-long meeting by Lake Abant over the weekend, bringing representatives from the Alevi and Sunni community. Personally, I learned a lot from the meeting which almost served as a channel for venting for Alevis.
Turkish businessman Ali Katırcıoğlu, who sponsored the construction of an Ottoman-style mosque complex, called the Nizamiye Külliyesi, in the South African city of Johannesburg, has said legendary South African leader Nelson Mandela, who passed away earlier this month, extended great support to the construction of the mosque complex.
On the first day of the 30th Abant Platform meeting on Friday on the Alevis issue in Turkey, Alevi and Sunni intellectuals and opinion leaders agreed that the problems date back to centuries ago and are more complicated than they seem. The event, titled “Searching for peace and a future together,” brought together representatives of various Alevi communities as well as Alevi and Sunni pundits, journalists and academics in an effort to have a comprehensive debate on one of the lingering problems of Turkish society.
Dr. Koç’s review and statistical analyses show very clearly that the defamation of Gülen and the Hizmet movement is being strategically operated. Gülen is simultaneously portrayed as an Islamic danger who is secretly trying to resurrect the Ottoman Empire and caliphate (in English) and as an American and Zionist puppet who is destroying Turkey and Islam with his “moderate Islam” (in Turkish).
“Diyaloğun Meyveleri” (Fruits of Dialogue), a book by Deputy Patriarch of the Turkish Syriac Catholic Church Yusuf Sağ, was launched at a reception held at Taksim Green Park Hotel in İstanbul on Tuesday night. Delivering a speech at the event, Bartholomew praised the role of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen in promoting dialogue among different faiths.
Cihan News Agency, STOCKHOLM Renowned for its dialogue efforts across Sweden, the intercultural and interfaith dialogue institution, Dialogslussen, recently held its dialogue dinner that has come to be a tradition in Stockholm. In attendance of the gathering at Sheraton Hotel were Swedish minister for Public Administration and Housing, Stefan Attefall; State Secretary to the Minister […]
The international panel, titled “Mary in the Holy Scripture and Qur’an,” which was jointly held by the Journalists and Writers Foundation’s (GYV) Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADİP), the Tevere Institute and İzmir Intercultural Dialogue Center (İZDİM), was concluded with a statement.
An international panel, titled “Mary in the Holy Scripture and Qur’an,” was jointly held by the Journalists and Writers Foundation’s (GYV) Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADİP), the Tevere Institute and İzmir Intercultural Dialogue Center (İZDİM) at WoW Hotel in Istanbul. The two-day meeting was attended by a number of leading scholars and intellectuals of the field and focused on such topics as “Approaches to Mary,” “Debate on Mary,” “Mary Doctrine and its Historical Development.”
Sudheendra Kulkarni, the head of the India-based Mumbai Research Foundation, has said there are parallels between the views of Mahatma Gandhi and Fethullah Gülen. Kulkarni talked to students from the Faculty of Theology at Marmara University, discrediting the misconception that Gandhi was against technology. Kulkarni described his new book, “Music of The Spinning Wheel,” and obscured characteristics of Gandhi as the protagonist of his book.
Niagara Foundation’s Nebraska chapter honored the recipients of “Niagara Foundation 2013 Peace and Dialogue Awards” at an award giving ceremony at Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, on November 15th. The ceremony was attended by over 100 guests, including the state’s high profile figures, who also had the opportunity at the event to get informed on Turkey and Anatolian people.
The 4th Annual Abrahamic Dinner co-organized by Niagara Foundation and Rochester College in Detroit, Michigan, received a large attendance. At the event, the three Abrahamic religions’ representatives, namely, Sheri Schiff of the Holocaust Museum, Dr. Rubel Shelly, professor of religion and philosophy at Rochester College; professor of history at Wayne State University, Dr. Saeed Khan offered their remarks.
Alliance of German Dialogue Institutions (BDDI) recently bestowed the nation’s very first intercultural and interfaith dialogue awards. At the award ceremony, Meinhard Tenne received Life’s Work Award; Intercultural Council (Interkultureller Rat in Deutschland e.V.), Social Engagement; Prof. Karl Josef Kuschel, Interfaith Dialogue; Feridun Zaimoglu, Literature; and Corneila Pieper, Politics.
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 […]