Fethullah Gulen's legal journey & Turkey's democratization progress

(Video Duration: 56 mins. 59 sec.)

James C. Harrington, Ph.D.

Fethullah Gulen's legal journey and Turkey's democratization progress is explained in this public lecture by Dr. James Harrington:

Dr. James Harrington, director of the Texas Civil Rights Project and Adjunct Professor at the School of Law in the University of Texas talks about how the political trial of Fethullah Gulen, a moderate Turkish religious leader, helped to greatly expand civil liberties and strengthen democracy in Turkey.

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Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement's Soft Power Approach - Lessons for Arab Political Reform

(Video Duration: 6 mins. 14 secs.)

Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Ph.D.

This presentation is based on field observations and readings of Fethullah Gulen. The goal is to draw lessons from the ideas and practices of the Gulen Movement that can inform political reform in the Arab world.

In a panel discussion held at Georgetown University's Berkeley Center, Mohammed Abu-Nimer of American University points out that one important character of Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen Movement is the movement's refusal to engage in partisan politics.

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Fethulah Gulen Trial explained in Frankfurt Book Fair

(Video Duration: 58 mins. 11 secs.)

James C. Harrington, Ph.D.

Harrington, who was a guest at the Frankfurt Book Fair to his book "(In)dependent judiciary - The trial of Fethullah Gulen during democratization of Turkey" sign gives an interesting insight into the hitherto little explored judicial proceedings against Fethullah Gulen.

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Fethullah Gulen - The Balance Between Physicality and Spirituality

(Video Duration: 4 mins. 38 secs.)

The true life is the one lived at the spiritual level. Those whose hearts are alive, conquering the past and the future, cannot be contained by time. Such people are never excessively distressed by sorrows of the past or anxieties of the future. Those who cannot experience full existence in their hearts, and thus lead banal, shallow lives, are always gloomy and inclined to hopelessness. They consider the past a horrifying grave, and the future an endless well. It is torment if they die, and it is torment if they survive.

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Fethullah Gulen - Man of Service

(Video Duration: 1 min. 48 secs.)

Man of service must, for the sake of the cause he has given his heart to, be resolved to cross over seas of filth. When he has attained his object, he must be so mature that he will attribute everything to its Rightful Owner, and be respectful and thankful to Him.

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Gulen Movement - Rumi Forum Peace and Dialogue Awards 2012

(Video Duration: 2 mins. 9 secs.)

The Rumi Forum, a nongovernmental organization established in the United States to improve interfaith and intercultural dialogue, gave its traditional Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards in a ceremony held in Washington on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. Rumi Forum's Honorary president is Fethullah Gulen who has inspired a global civil society movement.

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Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement - Remarks by Klas Grinell

(Video Duration: 8 mins. 3 secs.)

Klas Grinell, Ph.D.

Klas Grinell speaks about Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement at the conference, Culture of Coexistence: The Art of Living Together, organized by Finland Dialog Association and The Fountain, a bimonthly US-based periodical, under the auspices of the Finland Ministry of Culture and Sports on April 24, 2012.

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Gulen-inspired schools in Kenya

(Video Duration: 1 min. 52 secs.)

While Turkish schools around the world are praised by many, 10th year graduates are enjoying their diplomas in Africa where Turkey has launched a new diplomacy initiative.

Isik College located in the capital of Kenya that started educating in 1998 and achieved the most important accomplishments in the country.

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Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement - Remarks by Prof. Greg Barton

(Video Duration: 1 min. 1 sec.)

Greg Barton, Ph.D.

Dr. Greg Barton: "If we want to understand the business dynamics of the Gulen Movement enterprises, so called the Hizmet enterprises, we want to look at the model of the Nobel Prize winner Muhammed Yunus. He says: 'we start businesses deliberately so meet social need, it is not to make money, these are not-for-profit businesses, but we're trying to have social engagement work in a self-sustaining fashion; so the businesses pay for themselves and keep on expanding'. I think, with the Hizmet schools, we see something strikingly similar..."

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Abant Platform discussed Democratization in Turkey

(Video Duration: 1 min. 19 secs.)

Members of the Abant Platform met for a two-day meeting in the mid north province of Bolu in Turkey. Supported by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF), a civic organization championing the principles of diversity, multiculturalism and dialogue, the meeting brought together scholars, writers, intellectuals and community leaders, who brainstormed on the subject of “Democratization: Political Parties from 12 September to the European Union.”

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Turkish, Kurdish intellectuals gather under Abant Platform in Iraq

2 Videos: (52 secs.) and (1 min. 14 secs.)

The Abant Platform, a prominent discussion forum known for dealing with pressing issues challenging Turkey, held its second conference on the Kurdish issue in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil on Feb. 15, 2009. The meeting was titled "Searching for Peace and a Future Together."

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Coolsaet: Fethullah Gulen renovating, Gulen Movement refreshing

(Video Duration: 1 min. 10 secs.)

Rik Coolsaet, Ph.D.

Rik Coolsaet* said a movement to have the aspect of renovating is a very important asset. He said Fethullah Gulen is an important figure in Turkey since he succeeded in renovating the Turkish nation.

“Renovation has always been important because life itself is changing, time is changing. You cannot live with the dogmas of the past. Should you compare Gulen movement to the ones in other countries or Islamic communities, you’ll notice that the nature of this movement is refreshing for Turkish-Islamic world.”

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Hira Magazine Brings Together Arab Scholars in Istanbul

(Video Duration: 1 min. 32 secs.)

Egypt’s prominent scholars came together at a conference titled “According to Gülen, the Basic Dynamics of the Resurrection” on Thursday in Istanbul. The Egyptian scholars have shared the results of their study on “the horizon of thought” of the scholar Fethullah Gülen.

Nevzat Savaş, the editor-in-chief of Hira magazine, said “We hosted guests from some of the leading universities in Egypt such as Cairo University, Darul Uloom Faculty and Azhar University.”

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Essays on Fethullah Gulen by Russian Intellectuals

(Video Duration: 59 secs.)

The people of Eurasia have now a better understanding of the teachings of Fethullah Gulen. Gulen wants everyone to walk on the path of righteousness; the schools established through his initiatives teach friendship, peace and love.

Published in Russian and Turkish in Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the journal DA (Dialogue Eurasia) became a printing body that promotes dialogue development between people and cultures. The same is repeated in the motto of the journal: “Dialogue begins with “DA” (means "yes", in Russian).

A special edition of Journal DA is on the newsstands. The latest issue features essays by the intellectuals of Eurasia writing about the different visions of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen.

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Gulen Movement in Philippines: Filipino - Turkish Tolerance Schools in Zamboanga

(Video Duration: 7 mins. 39 secs.)

Harmony, tolerance stem from Turkish schools

Most children of the picturesque city of Zamboanga in the Philippines’ troubled south are groomed to be cautious in making friends believing in a different religions.

Zamboanga Peninsula, the sixth most populous region and the third geographically largest in the Philippines, is home to 70 per cent Christians and 30% percent Buddhist and Muslim people.

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Tanzanian Education Minister appreciates Turkish schools

(Video Duration: 2 mins. 46 secs.)

Shukuru Jumanne Kawambwa, Ph.D.

Tanzanian Education Minister Shukuru Jumanne Kawambwa shares his remarks at the conference, Peacebuilding Through Education, held in New York on Sep. 24. The minister praises the contributions of Turkish schools to Tanzanian people education.

The minister states that the Feza Schools contribute to the peaceful coexistence in the country, and elaborates on their mission and vision:

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Gulen Movement - An Example to the 'Committed Core' in Promoting Peace through Education

(Video Duration: 19 mins. 3 secs.)

Alp Aslandogan, Ph.D.

An international group of educators and convened for the inaugural "Peacebuilding Through Education" summit sponsored by Fountain Magazine, the Peace Islands Institute and co-sponsored by regional universities as well as the Alliance for Shared Values. The goal of the summit was to show how lessons of tolerance, understanding and intercultural respect can be woven into classroom curriculum or extracurricular activities. Throughout the day, speakers offered insights and strategies for building character in the classroom and creating a safe learning environment to incubate future leaders of more peaceful communities.

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Gulen Movement and Peacebuilding through Education

(Video Duration: 14 mins. 18 secs.)

Ihsan Yilmaz, Ph.D.

Last week New York City hosted the United Nations General Assembly, the Clinton Global Initiative and the Education Nation conference. These massive events focus on international diplomacy and peace, societal problem-solving and improving classroom instruction. However, just a few blocks away from these grand assemblies, a smaller group met for the first time to tackle all these issues with a single, bold strategy.

Organized by The Fountain and Peace Islands Institute, the conference featured a number of distinguished speakers from the United States and abroad. Among the government representatives were Rochelle Hendricks, the Secretary of Higher Education of New Jersey, Armin Altamirano Luistro, Secretary of the Department of Education in the Philippines, and Tanzania Minister of Education Shukuru Jumanne Kawambwa.

Below, you may find Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz's presentation titled: Peacebuilding through Education: A Perspective on the Hizmet Movement:

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