Rumi Forum`s Maryland branch organized the 1st Dialogue and Friendship Dinner in Frederick, MD on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at Gambrill State Park`s Tea Room.
President of Rumi Forum, Emre Celik, gave opening remarks and underlined the importance of these types of gatherings with the following two quotes from Rumi:
– “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
– “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about.”
Keynote speaker of the event was Dr. Pim Valkenberg from the Catholic University of America, School of Theology & Religious Studies. He talked about what it means to be inspired by a service-oriented movement, such as “Hizmet” and his experience with the people inspired by Mr. Gulen while he was writing his recent book.
Distinguished guests who gave brief remarks at the dinner included, Frederick`s Mayor, Randy McClement, Police Chief, Col. Ed Hargis, Government Affairs and Policy Director of the County, Roger Wilson and Captain Dave Kennedy, from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services.