Gülen Institute Hosts US Congressmen at İftar
A fast-breaking dinner (iftar) organized by the Houston-based Gülen Institute hosted several United States congressmen and their staff on Saturday.
Among the guests were Minnesota’s Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected to the US Congress, Sheila Jackson Lee and Gene Green, representatives from Texas, Emanuel Cleaver, from Missouri, and the staff of many other congressmen. Participants at the iftar said they were grateful to the Gülen Institute for the contributions it has made to the promotion of a culture of living together and for its tireless efforts to foster mutual understanding between the people of different religions, cultures and civilizations.
The event began with the opening speech of Gülen Institute Chairman Kemal Öksüz, who emphasized the importance of working patiently to build bridges between religions and cultures. He also said the institute has turned into a platform through which Turkey is represented better in the world. "I would like to express my gratitude to Fethullah Gülen for the contributions he has made to world peace," he noted.
Jackson Lee also delivered a speech at the event and praised Turkey for maintaining its belief in democracy. "We all have heroes in life. This might be Ghandi, Martin Luther King or an Islamic preacher like Fethullah Gülen. No matter to what extent our heroes differ from one another, everyone can contribute to turning the world into a more livable place if they embrace each other with respect, tolerance and cooperation," she stressed.
Jackson Lee’s praise for the Gülen Movement, which acts as a bridge between different cultures and religions through education and humanitarian aid, received great applause by other participants at the iftar.
Ellison stressed that differences are no obstacle to peace and tolerance. "We don’t need to be like others for peace, tolerance and generosity. If those who attach importance to peace and tolerance cooperate for a better world, we may solve many of the problems we face in our day," he said.
Ellison also stressed that he was delighted to have an iftar with other congressmen coming from different states.
Oklahoma Secretary of State Susan Savage thanked Houston University and the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue (IID), through the joint efforts of which the Gülen Institute was founded.
"The Gülen Institute and the IID bring us together in a meaningful way. We didn’t just share a dinner here today. We also renewed our pledge to work together to fight partisanship and polarization. I am honored to be part of this incredible movement," she said.
Other participants at the iftar expressed their admiration of Turkey and Turkish hospitality.
Dr. B. Jill Carroll, a fellow at Rice University who penned a book on Fethullah Gülen, said the Gülen movement contributed a great deal to interfaith dialogue. "I admire my Turkish friends’ ability to organize such meaningful events. I highly appreciate such events and extend my thanks to the Gülen Institute for having brought us all together around a dinner table," she added.
Also on Saturday, the Rumi Forum, founded to foster interfaith and intercultural dialogue and to provide a platform for education and information exchange, brought together several US congressmen and representatives of different religions at an iftar event in Washington, D.C.
Among the guests were Turkish Ambassador to the United States Nabi Şensoy, Malian Ambassador Abdoulaye Diop, Nigerian Ambassador Maiga Djibrilla Aminata, Pakistani Ambassador Hussein Haqqani and other high-ranking diplomats.
Rumi Forum head Ali Haydar Yurtsever delivered a speech at the event and thanked all the participants. "The objective of the Rumi Forum is to improve dialogue and peace in the world. We attach great importance to living together to this end," he said.
Rabbi Joshua Haberman stressed the importance of dialogue and respect between beliefs, cultures and civilizations. Thomas Michel from the Vatican Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue also dwelled on the importance of peaceful interaction between religions and cultures and thanked the Rumi Forum for the efforts it has exerted to this end.
- Created on .