White House hosts first-ever Eid al-Adha celebration, Rumi Forum contributes

Emre Çelik speaks at the White House during an interfaith gathering for the Eid al-Adha holiday.
Emre Çelik speaks at the White House during an interfaith gathering for the Eid al-Adha holiday.


Date posted: October 15, 2014

The White House hosted an event to celebrate Eid al-Adha on Tuesday for the first time ever with the sponsorship of the Rumi Forum, an international organization established by Turks living in Washington, D.C., to foster intercultural dialogue.

The White House traditionally hosts an iftar (fast-breaking) dinner every year for representatives of Muslim communities in the United States, but Tuesday’s event was the first time that they have hosted a celebratory event for Eid al-Adha, upon the suggestion of Rumi Forum. The opening speech of the event was made by White House Public Relations Office Deputy Director Ashley Allison and Rumi Forum President Emre Çelik.

The forum, of which Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen is the honorary chairman, provided food for the event.

Speaking to Today’s Zaman, Çelik said Rumi Forum came up with the idea to host a celebratory event for Eid al-Adha with the attendance of representatives from different religions. The event was attended by about 60 people from various interfaith organizations in Washington, including representatives from Christian and Jewish organizations in the US, as well as Muslims.

At the event, different faith groups’ representatives delivered speeches emphasizing the importance of interfaith dialogue. The evening ended with a closing speech by Special Assistant to the US President and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Melissa Roger.

According to its website, Rumi Forum was founded in 1999 “with the mission to foster intercultural dialogue, stimulate thinking and exchange of opinions on supporting and fostering democracy and peace and to provide a common platform for education and information exchange.”

The principal goal of the Rumi Forum is explained on its website as promoting peace in the world and contributing to the peaceful coexistence of adherents of different faiths, cultures, ethnicities and races.

Source: Today's Zaman , October 15, 2014

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Archbishop Makgoba: Turkey’s religious tolerance answer to extremism

Turkey has given us an example showing that we can all coexist because we all worship God.” He said Turkey shows that “we can respect each other.

Atlantic Institute promotes peace through dialogue

It is well known that the institute is inspired by the peaceful teachings of Fethullah Gülen, whose decades-long commitment to education, altruistic community service, and interfaith harmony has inspired millions around the world. Gülen has reinterpreted aspects of Islamic tradition to meet the needs of contemporary Muslims.

Esposito urges Muslims to integrate better to defeat Islamophobia

A world-renowned scholar who has written numerous books on Islamophobia has urged Muslims living in the West to integrate into mainstream society, which he says is the most effective way to defeat the Islamophobia that is taking hold in the West, particularly in Europe.

People overwhelmingly support democracy as answer to Kurdish issue

About 90 percent of the Turkish public believe the Kurdish question cannot be settled through military means but by democratization, and that expanding cultural rights and negotiating are the answers that will finally produce a settlement for Turkey’s decades-long problem with separatist terrorism, according to a recent survey conducted by pollster MetroPOLL.

Northern Illinois Conference Leaders Join Delegation to Turkey

In Istanbul, a modern bridge spans the Bosporus between Asia and Europe. Symbolically, the bridge reaching between the cultures of Turkey and the West, now extends also between Anatolian Muslims and Christians and Northern Illinois Conference United Methodists. At the invitation of the Niagara Foundation in Chicago, Bishop Hee-Soo Jung led a delegation of Northern […]

Experiences with Hizmet and the Followers of Fethullah Gülen

Fr. Leo D. Lefebure*  03 July 2012, Tuesday The members of Hizmet have been unfailingly gracious and cordial, respectful of Christianity and mindful of the many values shared by Muslims and Christians.  Their concern to build constructive relationships and to collaborate in building interreligious understanding is inspiring. Since the 1990s, I have been involved in […]

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Deutsche Welle: Power struggle between old friends in Turkey

The dangers of demonization [of Hizmet movement]

Becoming a Dialogue Movement: What Can Dialogue Learn from Other Movements?

Judge says judiciary still under tutelage, implies gov’t responsible

Pro-gov’t daily repeats Bharara controlled by Gülen movement, calls him ‘stupid’

Final Declaration of “Coexistence in Islamic Civilizations and Contemporary Reviews” Conference

International “Evolution of Teacher Training Conference” took place in Minsk

Copyright 2025 Insightful Neighbor