November 20, 2013

Hizmet from the Heart

Jon Pahl

For the past six years, since attending an event very much like this one, I have been fortunate to meet thousands of individuals around the world inspired by a single ideal: Hizmet.

Mosaic Foundation brings together Denver’s prominent people over a friendship dinner

Multicultural Mosaic Foundation in Denver, Colorado, recently held its traditional Dialogue and Friendship Dinner at one of the city’s prestigious venues, Cable Center. Having the author-journalist Mustafa Akyol, on his book Islam without Extremes promotion tour, as its keynote speaker, the event saw the attendance of several assembly members and senators of the states Colorado and Wyoming. Among a total of 140, Celal Afsar, a Turkish philanthropist and businessmen, was the honorary guest of the night.

Fethullah Gülen sends message to Turkish president over prep school closure

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has sent a message to President Abdullah Gül protesting the closure of "dershanes," or private prep schools, according to the editor of herkul.org, a website that broadcasts his speeches.

The Turkish connection

Enter the first floor of Learnium School on Road No. 44, Jubilee Hills and you’ll find a slice of Turkey in Hyderabad. On the walls is a Turkish Corner that displays photographs of ‘Turk folklor’, a Turkish bride, ‘Turk Lokumu’ among other things. Move around and there is a Indo-Turk Corner and photographs of famous Turkish palaces. As we soak in the pictures, we hear the booming voice of Sevim Kayaoglu calling out “Bir, iki, uch, dort… “(one, two, three four… in Turkish). She is teaching a Turkish dance to a group of young girls who are dancing to the beats of Yeni bir dunya, dressed in their traditional Turkish dresses.