I was first introduced to the Fethullah Gülen-inspired schools when I visited them as a journalist while following trips abroad by former President Süleyman Demirel.
Since then I have been wondering why the Turkish state is reluctant to make use of such a great opportunity. By “state” I do not intend merely the government. The judiciary and the military organs of the state have biases against Gülen and his “movement” — a description now acceptable to the followers of this movement. In politics, perceptions may play more vital roles than realities. The secularist perception of Gülen has been heavily influenced by such biases. Here is one example: After his appointment as the new chief of general staff, Gen. İlker Başbuğ launched a new media policy and removed some accreditation restrictions. However, the Zaman daily, the Gülen movement’s flagship media organ, was still not accredited. For the military, this group was trying to show itself as more powerful than it really is.
The Atlantic Institute announces the Art & Essay Contest winners
The Atlantic Institute has announced the 11th year winners of its traditional Art & Essay Contest. This academic year’s theme was “Compassion in Action… Caring Matters!” Awards Ceremony will be held at noon on Saturday, April 15th, 2017.
The UN High-Level Reception Highlights the Role of Public-Private Partnerships
Education, along with few other factors, has been the centerpiece of the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda. During the evaluation period of the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, it was obvious that even though the number of children attending schools significantly increased, the higher education they got did not meet the standards of the contemporary world and labor markets.
Malaysia also to blame for Turk’s torture, say rights groups
Human rights NGOs have called on Malaysian authorities to accept responsibility for the alleged torture of a Turkish teacher in his native country after he was deported from Malaysia.
Peshawar High Court Restrains Federal Government From Deporting Turkish Teachers Of Pak-Turk School Till Dec 1
The petitioners submitted before the court that Pak-Turk schools had been imparting quality education to hundreds of Pakistani children. They said that the forced deportation of Turkish teachers and other staff members was illegal as they had been provided protection under the Constitution.
PM Erdoğan calls on his supporters to boycott [Hizmet’s] prep schools
Calling on his supporters to boycott prep schools, Erdoğan took another swipe at the Hizmet movement, which, according to him, pulled the trigger of the recent corruption operation.However, lawyer of Fethullah Gülen denied any involvement in the recent graft probe, strongly rejected any link to the case.
Standing by the Education Rights of Schoolgirls
Influential Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who is considered by TIME magazine as “the most potent advocate of moderation in the Muslim world,” has strongly condemned the kidnappings in Nigeria as well as other such violent acts. In an interview he said that denying girls access to education simply goes against the spirit of the Muslim religious tradition and that women should be able to take on every role in our society, including those of physicians, military officers, judges and head of state.
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Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?
Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis
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Turkish police detain another woman shortly after caesarean delivery
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All colors gather in Turkey to pay last tributes to Vatican official Msgr. Marovitch
Russian analyst: Turkey’s claim Gülen was behind envoy’s killing insult to ‘our intelligence’
A Prayer to the Volunteers of Kimse Yok Mu from the Islands of Comoros