Sezai KalaycıThe EastWest Institute (EWI) honored well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen with its 2011 EWI Peace Building Award at an awards dinner held in New York on Tuesday for his contribution to world peace.
Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) President Mustafa Yeşil received the prestigious award on behalf of Gülen. In a message he sent to the ceremony, Gülen said he accepted the award not on behalf of himself but on behalf of numerous volunteers, among whom he sees himself.
Gülen is a Turkish Islamic scholar well known for his teachings promoting mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures. One of the world's most influential Islamic scholars, Gülen came out at the top of the list of “The World's Top 20 Public Intellectuals” by the magazines Foreign Policy and Prospect in 2008. Now residing in the US, Gülen has pioneered educational activities in a number of countries along with efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith activities around the world. He has written nearly 50 books in Turkish, some of them translated into several languages.
Sezai KalaycıThe EastWest Institute (EWI) honored well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen with its 2011 EWI Peace Building Award at an awards dinner held in New York on Tuesday for his contribution to world peace.
Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) President Mustafa Yeşil received the prestigious award on behalf of Gülen. In a message he sent to the ceremony, Gülen said he accepted the award not on behalf of himself but on behalf of numerous volunteers, among whom he sees himself.
Gülen is a Turkish Islamic scholar well known for his teachings promoting mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures. One of the world's most influential Islamic scholars, Gülen came out at the top of the list of “The World's Top 20 Public Intellectuals” by the magazines Foreign Policy and Prospect in 2008. Now residing in the US, Gülen has pioneered educational activities in a number of countries along with efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith activities around the world. He has written nearly 50 books in Turkish, some of them translated into several languages.
read more at http://hizmetmovement.blogspot.com/2011/05/eastwest-institute-honors-gulen-with.html
May 15, 2011
Turkey best example of how Islam, democracy can coexist
Turkey rapidly becomes a central power in its region. Not only is it becoming an economic power, but also it sets an example for how democratic values can be adopted without having to shed parts of one’s native culture. Turkey has implemented a multi-party democracy since 1950. The Muslim majority country’s struggle wasn’t without its hardships including a couple of coup d’états. Today Turkey’s democracy is stronger than ever before and getting more enduring with a participatory culture setting its roots deep into Turkish society.
Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of the US Congress, has said Turkey is the most important country in the region and the best example of how Islam and democracy can coexist.
Ellison, visiting Turkey upon the invitation of the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), had talks with Turkish officials, including Finance Minister Ali Babacan, in Ankara. The congressman told Today's Zaman in an interview that it is very important for Turkey to undertake humanitarian aid mission in this region, while praising Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's initiatives with respect to the unrest and chaos in the Mideast and North Africa. Ellison pointed to the historical link between the US and Turkey and said the ties will continue to grow closer in the future, too.
Ellison also welcomed schools established in the US by businessmen inspired by Fethullah Gulen and said these schools contribute to tolerance and dialogue and that he likes their approach to education.
Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of the US Congress, has said Turkey is the most important country in the region and the best example of how Islam and democracy can coexist.
Ellison, visiting Turkey upon the invitation of the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), had talks with Turkish officials, including Finance Minister Ali Babacan, in Ankara. The congressman told Today's Zaman in an interview that it is very important for Turkey to undertake humanitarian aid mission in this region, while praising Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's initiatives with respect to the unrest and chaos in the Mideast and North Africa. Ellison pointed to the historical link between the US and Turkey and said the ties will continue to grow closer in the future, too.
Ellison also welcomed schools established in the US by businessmen inspired by Fethullah Gulen and said these schools contribute to tolerance and dialogue and that he likes their approach to education.
Apr 24, 2011
Gulen Movement - Hizmet: Why do they lie about Fethullah Gülen?
For many of those who have admired the ideas of the scholar Fethullah Gülen and at varying levels took part in fulfilling those ideas for the service of humanity, it has been a lamentable fact that the international community does not know as much as it should about either Gülen or the worldwide Hizmet (Service) Movement he has inspired.
From a causality perspective, it was he who masterminded the idea of teaching the children of all nationalities, races, creeds and religions a common language of peace, love and harmony, so that as responsible adults of tomorrow they could build a better and more peaceful world. It was this idea and his selfless efforts that have led to the mobilization of millions of volunteers across the world to found modern and secular schools and intercultural dialogue centers as well as humanitarian aid organizations in more than 140 countries, including in impoverished and conflict-stricken places such as Haiti, Darfur and Afghanistan. Gülen was the first Muslim scholar to publicly denounce the Sept. 11 attacks as an act of terrorism, and going even further challenged its perpetrators on Islamic grounds by saying, “A terrorist cannot be a Muslim, nor can a true Muslim be a terrorist.” All in all, given the magnitude of his service to humanity, many believed that Gülen should have long ago been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet, his strict principle of not promoting himself, accepting any credit for the good works attributed to him, and actually giving the credit to the volunteers of those works, has so far kept him away from the attention of the international community. In fact, many have been decorated with such awards for merely dreaming and speaking about global peace, while over the past several decades Gülen has been patiently laying the foundations for such peace to actually come about.
continue reading at http://hizmetmovement.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-do-they-lie-about-fethullah-gulen.html
From a causality perspective, it was he who masterminded the idea of teaching the children of all nationalities, races, creeds and religions a common language of peace, love and harmony, so that as responsible adults of tomorrow they could build a better and more peaceful world. It was this idea and his selfless efforts that have led to the mobilization of millions of volunteers across the world to found modern and secular schools and intercultural dialogue centers as well as humanitarian aid organizations in more than 140 countries, including in impoverished and conflict-stricken places such as Haiti, Darfur and Afghanistan. Gülen was the first Muslim scholar to publicly denounce the Sept. 11 attacks as an act of terrorism, and going even further challenged its perpetrators on Islamic grounds by saying, “A terrorist cannot be a Muslim, nor can a true Muslim be a terrorist.” All in all, given the magnitude of his service to humanity, many believed that Gülen should have long ago been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet, his strict principle of not promoting himself, accepting any credit for the good works attributed to him, and actually giving the credit to the volunteers of those works, has so far kept him away from the attention of the international community. In fact, many have been decorated with such awards for merely dreaming and speaking about global peace, while over the past several decades Gülen has been patiently laying the foundations for such peace to actually come about.
continue reading at http://hizmetmovement.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-do-they-lie-about-fethullah-gulen.html
Apr 8, 2011
American professor says criticism against Gülen ideological - GULEN MOVEMENT
American sociology Professor Helen Rose Ebaugh, who has written a book analyzing the Gülen movement, inspired by the well-respected Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, has said criticism leveled at Gülen is based completely on ideological fears.
Ebaugh, the author of a book titled “The Gülen movement: A Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement Rooted in Moderate Islam,” was speaking at a conference organized by the Antalya Intercultural Dialogue Center over the weekend and titled “Gelişen Türkiye’de Sivil Toplum Hareketleri: Hizmet Hareketi” (Civil Society Movements in Developing Turkey: The Hizmet Movement). Stating that recent claims that members of the movement are trying to infiltrate state posts -- including the police force, the military and others -- are groundless, she said she did not encounter such efforts while researching the movement. She said these allegations are based on ideological fears rather than facts.
Continue reading at http://hizmetmovement.blogspot.com/2011/04/american-professor-says-criticism.html
narrowed by Todays Zaman
Ebaugh, the author of a book titled “The Gülen movement: A Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement Rooted in Moderate Islam,” was speaking at a conference organized by the Antalya Intercultural Dialogue Center over the weekend and titled “Gelişen Türkiye’de Sivil Toplum Hareketleri: Hizmet Hareketi” (Civil Society Movements in Developing Turkey: The Hizmet Movement). Stating that recent claims that members of the movement are trying to infiltrate state posts -- including the police force, the military and others -- are groundless, she said she did not encounter such efforts while researching the movement. She said these allegations are based on ideological fears rather than facts.
Continue reading at http://hizmetmovement.blogspot.com/2011/04/american-professor-says-criticism.html
narrowed by Todays Zaman
Apr 5, 2011
Foreign Policy Magazine The World's Top Public Intellectual
When Foreign Policy and Prospect magazine asked readers to vote for the world’s top public intellectual, one man won in a landslide: Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, an inspirational leader to millions of followers around the world and persona non grata to many in his native Turkey, where some consider him a threat to the country’s secular order. In a rare interview, Gülen speaks to FP about terrorism, political ambitions, and why his movement is so misunderstood.... READ MORE
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2008/08/03/meet_fethullah_guelen_the_worlds_top_public_intellectual
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2008/08/03/meet_fethullah_guelen_the_worlds_top_public_intellectual
The Fountain Talks and In Between Contrasts
...Such nationwide transformations cannot be completely irrelevant, but what Gülen points to is the human condition free from boundaries of time and space, that everyone can take upr for himself or herself. He speaks of “massive collapses” in which “our homes … have been rendered into inns and hotel rooms for short stopovers and swift migrations.” His concern is for a great many of us who have become “enslaved to soulless ambitions,” “leading lives as the victims of bodies, [and] serving a life-sentence in the narrow confines of corporeality with feeble willpowers, unbelieving hearts, starving souls, bleak horizons, and shaken hopes.” His hopes are with those fortunate ones who “are busy with the passion of letting live … blowing resurrection everywhere.”
“What would you do if you were told you had only 72 hours to live?”...
read more at http://www.fountainmagazine.com/article.php?ARTICLEID=1216
AND lead article by Fethullah Gulen at http://www.fountainmagazine.com/article.php?ARTICLEID=1217
“What would you do if you were told you had only 72 hours to live?”...
read more at http://www.fountainmagazine.com/article.php?ARTICLEID=1216
AND lead article by Fethullah Gulen at http://www.fountainmagazine.com/article.php?ARTICLEID=1217
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