Inspiring Words

CONFERENCE: The Role of Civil Society in Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution and Democratization

Rumi Forum, in collaboration with Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, brought together prominent scholars of the nation's capital to discuss the growing importance of civil society in peace building, conflict resolution and democratization. “The Role of Civil Society in Peace building, Conflict Resolution and Democratization” conference was held on May 26th, 2011 at the Berkley Center’s 3rd floor Conference Room.

Below are some excerpts from the presentations:

Mohamed Nimer, American University: What do the Arab world can learn from the Gulen Movement? One major thing is that the sophisticated definition of how a social movement relates to the state? How it relates to the power play? Gulen has decided that when you look at the Islamic tradition democracy is the best form of the systems that can meet the requirements of Islamic values. And as such a faith based social movement has to stay above partisan politics, above the contest for power... Arab world wants the Gulen inspired ideas of separating politics from social work...

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Watch Opening Remarks
Watch Panel 1
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Watch Closing Remarks

Historic Ottoman Exhibition - The Art of Living Together

Come see how the Ottomans were able to cohesively and harmniously live and provide sanctity to their minorities. In a first for Washington DC, Rumi Forum has organized reprints of Ottoman Decrees regarding their Armenian, Jewish and Greek minorities dating back 550 years, also including documents outlining the transatlantic relations between North America and the Ottoman state.
Opening Reception with Turkish refreshments, 6pm on June 6 at Rumi Forum

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Jeffrey B. Spense Award for INTERFAITH UNDERSTANDING presented to Rumi Forum

The Rumi Forum was recently honored by receiving Jeffrey B. Spense Award for INTERFAITH UNDERSTANDING presented by the VIRGINIA CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES in recognition and appreciation for continuing humanitarian contributions within and across religious communities (31 March 2010, Norfolk Virginia)

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EastWest Institute grants Gülen with 2011 Peace Award

The Rumi Forum's Honorary President, Fethullah Gulen was honored with the Annual 2011 Peace Building Award from the East West Institute for his activism in the fields of education and dialogue.

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Read Text of Gulen's acceptance

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New Book

Wrestling with Free Speech, Religious Freedom, and Democracy in Turkey
The Political Trials and Times and Fethullah Gulen.
by James C. Harrington
Foreword: Michael E. Tiger

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ESSAY COMPETITION FINALE HELD IN CONGRESS

Congress members presented the 36 awards to winners in Washington, D.C., with Congressional Certificates to recognize their success in the international high school essay contest that was organized by the Gülen Institute and the Rumi Forum. The contest involved 600 high school students, enrolled in nineth through 12th grades, attending public or private schools from the United States and abroad, writing on the use of military means as a solution to today’s international and national political issues.

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Proclamation From the Governor of the State of Maryland, Martin O’Malley

Whereas, The Rumi Forum has been fostering interfaith and intercultural dialog to provide a platform for education and information dialog to provide a platform for education and information exchange....

Read Full Proclamation

Rumi Forum Maryland Peace and Dialogue Awards

The Rumi Forum presented awards celebrating peace and dialogue initiatives by local Maryland officials. Awards were presented to Maryland Secretary of State John McDonough, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, United Way of Central Maryland President and CEO Mark Furst, Maryland State Board of Education President James DeGraffenreidt Jr., and Montgomery County Chief of Police J. Thomas Manger. The event also highlighted the importance of education and intercultural and interfaith dialog towards building sustainable peace.

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NEW LUNCHEON VIDEOS

Yemen's Clouded Future

May 12th, 2011

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Building Peace across Cultures and Faiths: The Muslim Mindanao Experience

May 3rd, 2011
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The Role of Haitian Civil Society in Conflict Prevention and Resolution

April 28th, 2011

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Being Religious as Being Interreligious: Implications for Living One's Faith Today

April 19th, 2011
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Fethullah Gulen’s Contribution to the Field of Conflict Analysis and Resolution

April 7th, 2011
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The Role of Civil Societies in Building Democracy and the Threats They Face

March 24th, 2011
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The Same Thing Over and Over: How to Avoid Getting Stuck in Yesterday's Ideas

March 22nd, 2011
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Visit Rumi Forum Blog for Other News

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New York Assembly Member Cymbrowitz gives a proclamation for Fethullah Gulen

Papua New Guinea Post Courier Covers Rumi Forum Event

In The Media

WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT interviews Rumi Forum

Excerpt from full article that explores the new and growing language courses in Washington DC including our Turkish language classes

..."Basically we recognized a demand, and we thought with our background and the fact this organization was founded by Turkish Americans, we could play a part in bringing that to the Washington, D.C., area," Celik explained. "Turkey is on the rise in terms of global attention so a lot of people are wanting to improve their understanding of Turkey. And the best way to do that is through Turkish language and culture."

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More information about our Turkish courses

KENTUCKY Intercultural Dialogue Organization Shows Love

Rumi Forum’s partner in Kentucky receives media attention in regards to its positive intercultural activities, including its Annual Friendship Dinner

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Exclusive Full Length Television Interview

Dr Jill Carol in a television interview compares the philosophy of Fethullah Gulen to Immanuel Kant, Confucius, Plato, John Stuart Mill, and Jean Paul Sartre

Watch full length television interview

Financial Times covers Hon. President Fethullah Gulen

In one corner of the courtyard, green-painted railings enclose the tomb of a saint. In another, a pair of 12-year-old boys in spotless white shirts and neatly pressed trousers politely answer visitors’ questions. In Diyarbakir, a city in Turkey’s Kurdish south-east where many children work on the streets or land in jail for throwing stones at security forces, these two have come to prepare for high school entrance exams. Asked what they want to do later, one says “doctor” and the other, grinning, declares “police”....

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DONATE TO RUMI FORUM

Rumi Forum now accepts donation through a new service via Paypal. The Rumi Forum, a NGO that is a non-profit exempt organization under section 501 (C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code exists by way of contributions, donations and the volunteers that enable it to provide numerous services to better society at large. Your contributions are appreciated and play an important part in the Rumi Forum increasing social harmony and understanding.

Turkish Classes

Learn Turkish in Washington, DC! Experienced teachers are offering Turkish Language Classes at the Rumi Forum in Washington, DC. If you are looking for Turkish lessons in the DC Metropolitan Area, Rumi Forum is the right place to begin. There are three terms in a year

• Turkish language classes are open to everyone who is interested.
• The classes are arranged based on the number of students interested in at any level.
• Our teachers are using a Turkish Language Book Set written in Turkish.

For the intensive program: A four-hour class per week and eight classes in a month.

For further queries and application form please email: turkish@rumiforum.org

Visit the 'Learn Turkish' blog

WATCH PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

For more info

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Rumi Forum Internship Program

We are now accepting applications for our summer, fall  and winder 2010 internship program.

Eligibility: All undergraduate and master’s-level students and J.D. and Ph.D. candidates as well as recent graduates are eligible to apply.

Application Process: In order to apply for a Rumi Forum Internship, please submit the following:

· Cover Letter and Resume

· College or University Transcript

· 2-3 References (please provide both the phone and email contact information and please include a Professor or other individual familiar with your work)

Duration:
Winter: January to March.
Spring: March to May.
Fall: September to December.

*starting dates are flexible

Please send materials via email to

internships@rumiforum.org 

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