Congressman Edolphus Towns at TCC Friendship Dinner

(Video Duration: 1 min 8 secs)

Dignitaries gathered in New York for the Turkish Cultural Center and Council of Turkish American Association's 4th Annual Friendship dinner. The event brought out big names in Turkish and American politics.
Then-congressman Edolphus Towns, highlights the significance of cooperation between diverse groups for a better community.

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President Gul attends TCC Friendship Dinner

(Video Duration: 9 mins 13 secs)

Turkish President Abdullah Gül was the main speaker and guest of honor at the Third Annual Friendship Dinner held on Thursday at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel and hosted by the Turkish Cultural Center (TCC).

He expressed the belief that both countries would exert their best efforts to further boost their ties. "Turkey and the US have a deep-rooted relationship based on common values and objectives. They have managed to diversify the fields of this multi-faceted relationship over the years," he stressed.

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Turkish PM Erdogan attends the Annual Friendship Dinner by TCC

(Video Duration: 8 mins 24 secs)

The Ramadan Friendship dinner by the Turkish Cultural Center in New York was another successful event for the future of intercultural dialogue and global peace. With the participation of high level guests and people from different backgrounds, the gathering has come to symbolize the desire of the global community to achieve a genuine international peace and dialogue.

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JWF shared its experiences on interfaith cooperation at UN

Here you can find the full speech of Mr. Hüseyin Hurmalı (Secretary General of Journalists and Writers Foundation's Abant Platform) at United Nations High Level Meeting in the Culture of Peace: “The role of interfaith cooperation in promoting a global Culture of Peace"

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Zeki Saritoprak speaks on Gulen Movement at Chautauqua Institution

(Video Duration: 10 mins 7 secs)

Zeki Saritoprak is the Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University and delivered an interfaith lecture on Gulen and the his Hizmet movement. Saritoprak also gave a brief outline of Turkish history, from the start of the Ottoman Empire to the founding of the Republic of Turkey.

“Muslims have to establish … not religious schools, but just regular, secular high schools,” Saritoprak said, “because [Gülen believes] mathematics is talking about God, physics is talking about God, chemistry is talking about God.”

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Iftar Dinner by Turkish Cultural Center at Westchester Reform Temple

(Video Duration: 1 mins 53 secs)

It was a gathering of about 200 people July 9 at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, awaiting sunset at 8:31 p.m. when the day’s fast of Ramadan could be broken with a festive Turkish-style dinner.

Westchester Reform Temple has had a long tradition of collaboration with the Scarsdale-Hartsdale Women’s Interfaith Council and has shared numerous events with the American Muslim Women’s Association and the Turkish Cultural Council, which co-hosted the event.

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Fethullah Gulen and Gulen Movement discussed in New York

(Video Duration: 22 mins. 7 secs.)

Prof. Ergil (R) authored a book on Gulen

A special conversation on Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen Movement by Peace Islands Institute was held at NY Turkish Cultural Center on April 9.

The professor of Political Science and Public Administration, analyst and columnist Prof. Dogu Ergil was the guest speaker of the event hosted by Peace Islands Institute President Zafer Akin.

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Women's Role in Society – Contributions of the Gulen Movement

(Video Duration: 7 mins. 14 secs.)

Positive role of interfaith dialogue in curbing violence and discrimination against women was highlighted at the symposium held at United Nations, New York.

On February 12, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Peace Islands Institute [a Gulen-inspired NGO in the US] co-organized symposium took place to commemorate World Harmony Day. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also sent a message to the event.

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Peacebuilding through Education Conference - Highlights

(Video Duration: 13 mins. 34 secs.)

The Fountain magazine and the Peace Islands Institute organized "Peacebuilding through Education: Challenges, Opportunities, Cases" conference on September 24, 2012, in New York. This video is a brief footage of highlights from the event. Gulen-inspired schools and Gulen movement educational initiatives were discussed by education ministers and intellectuals some of whom traveled from around the world.

Below you may find an excerpt of Fethullah Gulen's message to the conference:

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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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Peacebuilding Through Education

(Video Duration: 2 mins. 2 secs.)

With the UN gathering in New York, education officials from all around the world also came together to focus on global youth education, and individual student success stories.

The UN General Assembly gathers today and just down the street various leaders across the globe came together for a conference called Peace Building through Education. It focuses on educating the youth. From the Philippines to Tanzania to New Jersey, education ministers shared success stories of individuals and schools that broke through differences.

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About Peace Islands Institute

(Video Duration: 7 mins. 35 secs.)

"Accept everyone who they are"
"Have a chair for everyone in our heart"

"Open your heart so wide like the ocean,
Become inspired with faith and love for others,
Offer a hand to those in trouble and be concerned about everyone."

These virtue quotes are from the Honorable Fethullah Gulen, Peace Islands Institute's source of inspiration and Honorary President, the recipient of the EastWest Institute 2011 Peace Award, 2008 Forbes Magazine's Top Intellectual, writer of over 60 books, and inspiration for millions of people from different walks of life.

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Fethullah Gulen - EastWest Institute's 2011 Peacebuilding Award - In the News

(Video Duration: 2 mins. 40 secs.)

Hundreds gathered in New York City this week - for the 30th anniversary of the East/West Institute. The Global organization works to create dialogue between different cultures. And this year -- the group honored Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen with a prestigious award.

Gulen also sent a message to the event, which was read by Asli Bilici on his behalf.

Full text of Gülen's message:

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Fethullah Gulen - EastWest Institute's 2011 Peacebuilding Award - Background

(Video Duration: 3 mins 5 secs.)

Fethullah Gülen, well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar, was named for the The EastWest Institute's (EWI) 2011 Peace Building Award at an awards dinner held in New York on 10 May 2011, 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.

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Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement praised by New York State Assemblyman Cymbrowitz

(Video Duration: 4 min 14 secs.)

Assemblyman praises Gulen Movement, offers a proclamation to Fethullah Gulen:

NY Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz

New York State Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz was among the dignitaries at the 4th Annual Friendship Dinner by the Turkish Cultural Center where he gave a speech about his trip to Turkey and offered a proclamation of appreciation to Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen.

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Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement - Remarks by President Clinton

(Video Duration: 1 min 29 secs.)

Fethullah Gulen, the Gulen Movement (aka the Hizmet Movement), and their contributions to the world peace were recognized by former President Bill Clinton.

Read more: Fethullah Gulen's Contribution to World Peace

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