organized by Rumi Forum, CNU Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Our distinguished panelists will discuss how the major faith traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) differ in their approaches to social justice; how these traditions promote social justice; what movements they support; and how they are making a difference in their respective communities and in the community of the “Other.”

Speakers:
Dr. Dawn Hutchinson
Dr. Stephen Strehle
Dr. Hussam Timani
Dr. John Thompson
Dr. Lori Underwood
Moderator: Dr. Roberta Rosenberg

January 23, 2012 at 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Gaines Theatre at CNU campus.

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Mr. James W. McJunkin has been with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for 24 years. He holds a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Administration of Justice from the Pennsylvania State University. Mr. McJunkin began his professional career as a trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police, holding assignments in Troop E and Troop D. During his career in the FBI, he has served in the San Antonio, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. field offices.

Mr. McJunkin served as a field agent in both the San Antonio and Atlanta Field Offices and he also held the position of Supervisory Senior Resident Agent while assigned to the Atlanta Field Office. In connection with these assignments, which spanned nearly 17 years, he led or supervised many important investigations in the Organized Crime, White Collar Crime, Violent Crime, Drug Trafficking Crime, Civil Rights, and Counterterrorism arenas.

In 2003, Mr. McJunkin was promoted to FBI Headquarters where he held the positions of Unit Chief and Assistant Section Chief within the International Terrorism Operations Section - I (ITOS I), Counterterrorism Division. In 2004, Director Mueller appointed Mr. McJunkin to direct a multi-agency task force assembled to address an Al Qaeda-sponsored terror attack against the 2004 Presidential Election, for which he was later recognized as a recipient of the US Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award. Mr. McJunkin was also awarded the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation in connection with his Counterterrorism assignments.

In 2005, Mr. McJunkin was selected as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. field office where he provided leadership and supervision to the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF); provided management to all substantive counterterrorism investigations conducted within the National Capital Region; and he supervised a number of significant overseas investigations involving terrorism attacks against U.S. citizens. In March, 2006, he led a team of FBI investigators with the on-scene investigation of a terrorist attack against the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan that claimed the life of a career Diplomat and several foreign nationals. In August, 2006, Mr. McJunkin was appointed Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Washington, D.C. field office, Counterterrorism Division.

In January, 2007, Mr. McJunkin was selected as a member of Senior Executive Service, and after a short stint as the Deputy Director for Law Enforcement at the Central Intelligence Agency, he was appointed as Section Chief of International Terrorism Operations Section I. On January 24, 2008, Director Mueller designated Mr. McJunkin as the Deputy Assistant Director for FBI Counterterrorism Operations - Branch I, and on January 29, 2010, Director Mueller named Mr. McJunkin as Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division. The three year span that Mr. McJunkin led FBI Counterterrorism operations also coincided with the busiest threat environment facing the US and produced by far the highest number of actual or attempted terrorist attacks committed on US soil since 9-11.

On November 10, 2010, Director Mueller named Mr. McJunkin as Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office where he currently leads the FBI’s second largest field office.

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"The aftermath of 9/11 was even worse than the attack itself"

FBI agents, scholars, academicians, and an Uyghur Turk who lost a son in the 9/11 attack, were also in attendance.

His focus was the distrust and contention that has developed betweem many Americans.

"It's time for us to heal that and get beyond the distrust and become friends again and that's part of these meetings and we're proud to be part of it", said James McJunkin,FBI Assistant Director in Washington.

The director added that one of the most overlooked issues is holding all Muslims accountable for the attacks:

"There were a lot of suspicions and false allegations brought against members of the Muslim community particularly as having been responsible for something like that."

He continued to emphasize the importance of equity and mutual respect.

"So, for us, the real important piece of opportunities like this to get to know, not only to get to know the Turkish community, by example, but the Pakistani community, the Somalian community, and any other community that has a shared interest in making sure the United States government is fair and equitable", he said.

The Director went on to thank the communities hosting the memorial and added that he looks forward to stronger relations in the future.

SOURCE: http://news.ebru.tv/us-news/fbi-assistant-director

Panelists will also discuss which issues are challenging for certain faiths, and what practices each uses to promote social justice, whether it's charity, political action or education.

The three-part spring series is sponsored by CNU's department of philosophy and religious studies along with a local chapter of the Rumi Forum, a Washington D.C.-based organization that fosters interfaith and intercultural dialogue.

Information provided by CNU professor Roberta Rosenberg, who will moderate Monday's discussion, lists objectives of the series as learning about others' core beliefs, building relationships across religious and cultural divides, and decreasing suspicion and fear of one another.

The dialogue is also meant to "eliminate acts of discrimination and hate against recent immigrants and persons of color."

The next panel discussions are scheduled for Feb. 29 and March 26. They will focus on the role of faith in conflict resolution and establishing peace, and on religion and science, respectively.

Each event is at 7 p.m. in the Gaines Theatre at CNU's Freeman Center.

Want to go?

What: CNU/Rumi Forum interfaith dialogue

Topic: "Religion and Social Justice"

When: Jan. 23, 7 p.m.

Where: Gaines Theatre, Freeman Center at CNU

SOURCE :http://articles.dailypress.com/2012-01-19/news/dp-nws-cnu-interfaith-series-20120119_1_interfaith-dialogue-philosophy-and-religious-studies-cnu-s-freeman-center

Panelists will also discuss which issues are challenging for certain faiths, and what practices each uses to promote social justice, whether it's charity, political action or education.

The three-part spring series is sponsored by CNU's department of philosophy and religious studies along with a local chapter of the Rumi Forum, a Washington D.C.-based organization that fosters interfaith and intercultural dialogue.

Information provided by CNU professor Roberta Rosenberg, who will moderate Monday's discussion, lists objectives of the series as learning about others' core beliefs, building relationships across religious and cultural divides, and decreasing suspicion and fear of one another.

The dialogue is also meant to "eliminate acts of discrimination and hate against recent immigrants and persons of color."

The next panel discussions are scheduled for Feb. 29 and March 26. They will focus on the role of faith in conflict resolution and establishing peace, and on religion and science, respectively.

Each event is at 7 p.m. in the Gaines Theatre at CNU's Freeman Center.

Want to go?

What: CNU/Rumi Forum interfaith dialogue

Topic: "Religion and Social Justice"

When: Jan. 23, 7 p.m.

Where: Gaines Theatre, Freeman Center at CNU

SOURCE :http://articles.dailypress.com/2012-01-19/news/dp-nws-cnu-interfaith-series-20120119_1_interfaith-dialogue-philosophy-and-religious-studies-cnu-s-freeman-center

Rumi Forum Norfolk, Annual Peace and Dialogue Awards Dinner - 2011

click for Keynote Address by Dr. Roberta Rosenberg

Full Video

Watch Video: Robert G Doumar

Watch Video: Walter F Sullivan

Watch Video: Dr Roberta Rosenberg

Watch Video: Robert C Nusbaum

Watch Video: Emre Celik

Watch Video: Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg

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Annual Friendship Dinner brought into prominence “The Act of Living Together” The American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) along with the Rumi Forum - Fairfax organized the Annual Dialogue and Friendship Dinner.

The event held at Marriot Hotel at Tysons Corner in Washington D.C. hosted so many distingueshed names from different walks of life. Elected state and city officials, community leaders, representatives of different faith communities, bussines, media and academia were at the program. This year’s event, like others, has a significant subject: ‘The Act of Living Together’

“Dialogue is one of the most effective means” said the Ahmet Tarık İlhan, President of American Turkish Friendship Association. He continued his remarks as “Dialogue is effective to overcome bigotry, prejudice, and fanaticism, and this is only possible when we respect one another’s humanity and individuality. Thus, knowledge of the other in their cultural setting is essential.

By recognizing and respecting social, cultural, and religious diversity, an exchange of mutual values and union in collaboration, humanity ultimately will be led to unity.” İlhan also mentioned the goal and importance of the night by saying “The main purpose of this annual event is to promote inter-cultural dialogue and friendship by bringing people from different cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds together, and to celebrate our diversity in our community.” At his opening remark speech Senior Political Scientist Angel Rabasa, talked about the Gülen Movement and its contribution to mutual understanding and respect among different entities.

The President of the Rumi Forum Emre Çelik also gave a speech at the dinner. Çelik quoted President Abraham Lincoln and said: “I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.” Dr. Pim Valkenberg, Ordinary Professor of Religion and Culture at the Catholic University of America was the keynote speaker at the program. Chief Rick Rappopoprt of City of Fairfax Police Department made the closing remarks at the dinner. Chief Rappaport recently attended an intercultural trip to Turkey organized by American Turkish Friendship Association. He stated in his remarks, the trip was a wonderful and unforgettable experience and the Turkish people are the most gracious and generous hosts. “In every corner of the country we were met with such traditional hospitality.” Guests of the event had a chance to taste the world-famous Turkish baklava and homemade, authentic Turkish appetizers prepared by ATFA volunteers. A master calligrapher was on hand and he offered a performance of his calligraphy and gave a gift of his artwork to each guest.

Calligrapher Aydin Cayir, traveled all the way from Istanbul, Turkey, where the art was originated and perfected. Guests also witnessed an Ottoman Exhibition of archived laws and treatise demonstrating the respect and tolerance of the Ottoman Empire.

Watch Video

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Although a number of conferences have been organized in recent years emphasizing the social, civic and educational activities of the Gulen Movement, as well as Gulen's contribution to interreligious dialogue, very little attention has been paid to his formal and informal education, his scholarly works and his interpretation of basic Islamic sources and disciplines in the modern period. In fact, his expertise goes beyond the limitations of modern academic compartmentalization of Islamic studies. This edited book aims to explore Gulen's personal and theological profile in relation to Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir), Prophetic tradition (hadith), Islamic law (fiqh), Islamic systematic theology (kalam) , Sufism (tasawwuf), and Muslim heresiography

www.AMAZON.com

Luncheon Talk

Ambassador Namık Tan was appointed Ambassador of Turkey to the United States in February 2010. Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Tan was Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for bilateral political affairs and public diplomacy.

He was previously Ambassador of Turkey to Israel from 2007 to 2009.

Ambassador Tan joined the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1982. After working in the Department of Maritime Affairs, he was posted to Moscow as Second Secretary from 1984 to 1987. He then spent two years as First Secretary in Abu Dhabi.

After returning to Turkey, Mr. Tan served as the Deputy Chief of Cabinet to the Turkish President until 1991.

He was later assigned to the Turkish Embassy in Washington, where he served as Counselor from 1991 to 1995 and First Counselor from 1997 to 2001. Between these assignments, Mr. Tan served as Chief of Cabinet to the Turkish Foreign Minister.

Upon his return to Turkey in 2001, he first served as Head of the Department for the Americas, and was subsequently named Head of the Information Department in 2002. He went on to serve as the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2007.

Born in 1956, Ambassador Tan holds a law degree from Ankara University. Ambassador and Mrs. Fügen Tan have two children.

Moderator
Dr. Joshua Walker

Dr. Joshua Walker is a Transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund based in Washington, D.C. He is also a non-resident fellow at the Crown Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Brandeis University and a Truman National Security Fellow. Joshua`s forthcoming book focuses on the role of historical memories in post-imperial successor states, with a particular focus on Japan and Turkey's domestic and foreign policies.

Among his many affiliations, Joshua has most recently been a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, Tokyo University, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Transatlantic Academy and taught at Istanbul Sehir Merkez, Middle East Technical University, George Mason, Princeton, University of Richmond, and Yale. At Princeton University his Ph.D. is in Politics and Public Policy with a specialization on international relations and security studies.

He holds a Master's degree in International Relations from Yale University and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Richmond. He was a Fulbright Fellow in Ankara, Turkey and has worked for the U.S. Embassy and State Department on Turkey and grew up in Sapporo, Japan where he lived for 15 years and his family still resides.

Active in bridging the academic and policy worlds, Joshua co-founded the Yale Journal of International Affairs, Young Professionals in Foreign Policy in New York, and the Project on Religion, Diplomacy, and International Relations at Princeton.

In addition to his numerous articles, briefs, and book projects, he has been published in a variety of outlets including the Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, Foreign Policy, International Affairs, International Herald Tribune, New Republic, Washington Quarterly, and Washington Times. Joshua is called upon often to offer commentary in international media outlets.

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Hannah Rosenthal, special envoy and head of the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism for the U.S. Department of State, spoke on Nov. 22, 2011 at the Rumi Forum in Washington, D.C.

(CNSNews.com/Penny Starr).

(CNSNews.com) – Two State Department officials are promoting a Facebook page, “2011 Hours Against Hate,” as a tool to help young people around the world “push back against hatred.”
Speaking at an event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Farah Pardith, a special representative to Muslim communities, said getting young people involved requires “using tools that are going to work for this generation.”
Hannah Rosenthal, special envoy and head of the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, said young people are “a little more action oriented” and want guidance for fighting hate.
“So we wanted to do something that wasn’t brought to you by the U.S. State Department; we didn’t want to do anything that said, ‘This is what you must do,’” Pardith said, “but really give you a – just sort of catalyze a vision.”
“And that is, to push back against hatred, to amplify the importance of mutual respect,” Pardith said.
“We didn’t ask for permission,” Rosenthal said of the “2011 Hours Against Hate” Facebook page that was launched in February. “We just did it.”
The information portion of the Facebook page states: “2011 Hours Against Hate is a campaign to stop bigotry and promote pluralism and respect across lines of culture, religion, tradition, class, and gender. We are asking people around the world to pledge their time to stop hate—to do something for someone who doesn’t look like you, pray like you, or live like you.”

The Facebook page asks visitors to sign a pledge to document how many hours they will volunteer “to stop hate” and to describe their volunteer activity.
A separate pledge is available for the media, where publishers can sign (by e-mail) a pledge that states: "Because of the influence of the media I publish, I will choose my words to facilitate an inclusive world where differences are respected."
In a video on the Facebook page, Pardith and Rosenthal explain the campaign by saying “anti-Semitism, prejudice, racism, Muslim hatred, sexism” are “all words for hate.” “Hate is hate, no matter who the target is,” Pardith says in the video. A video of Secretary Hillary Clinton speaking about the campaign is also on the Facebook page and links to the State Department Web site are included.
The page also features videos promoting the acceptance of homosexuality, such as “An Honest Conversation,” which is about Latino lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. “We hope to open minds and educate the community to break the taboo!” reads the video description.
The women spoke at a discussion at the Rumi Forum, described on its Web site as an organization with a mission “to promote peace in the world and contribute to a peaceful coexistence of the adherents of different faiths, cultures, ethnicities and races.”

"Taking Action to Stop Hate" with Farah Anwar Pandith Special Representative to Muslim Communities and Hannah Rosenthal Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism

Luncheon Talk

Farah Pandith was appointed Special Representative to Muslim Communities in June 2009. Her office is responsible for executing Secretary Clinton’s vision for engagement with Muslims around the world on a people-to-people and organizational level. She reports directly to the Secretary of State.

Prior to this appointment, she was Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. In this role she was focused on Muslim communities in Europe where she was responsible for policy oversight for integration, democracy, and Islam in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. She also worked on issues relating to countering violent Islamic extremism.

Before joining the Department of State, she served as the Director for Middle East Regional Initiatives for the National Security Council. She was responsible for coordinating U.S. policy on “Muslim World” Outreach and the Broader Middle East North Africa initiative. She reported directly to the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Global Democracy Strategy. Special Representative Pandith served on the staff of the National Security Council from December 2004 to February 2007.

Prior to joining the NSC, Special Representative Pandith was Chief of Staff for the Bureau for Asia and the Near East for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She worked directly for the Assistant Administrator for the bureau responsible for more than $4 billion in programs throughout the Middle East, South Asia, and Asia -- including Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza/West Bank. In 2004, she spent two months in Kabul, Afghanistan.

From 1997 to 2003 Special Representative Pandith was Vice President of International Business for ML Strategies in Boston, Massachusetts. She received a Master’s degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she specialized in International Security Studies, Islamic Civilizations and Southwest Asia, and International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. She concentrated on the insurgency in Kashmir and has spoken on the subject in international and domestic forums.

Prior to graduate school, Special Representative Pandith worked at USAID as the Special Assistant to the Director of Policy. She has been a consultant in both the public and non-profit sectors. Special Representative Pandith has served on several boards with a focus on international affairs including the World Affairs Council of Boston, the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs, and the British-American Project. She was a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Special Representative Pandith received an A.B. in Government and Psychology from Smith College, where she was president of the student body. She has served as a Trustee of alma maters Smith College and Milton Academy. She is currently a member of the Board of Overseers of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
She was born in Srinagar, Kashmir, India.

Hannah Rosenthal was sworn in as Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism on November 23, 2009. Sparked by the work and experience of her father, a rabbi and Holocaust survivor, and her own experience studying to become a rabbi, Hannah Rosenthal has led a life marked by activism and a passion for social justice.

Before joining the State Department, Ms. Rosenthal was Executive Director of the Chicago Foundation for Women, where she led one of the largest women's funds in the world. Prior to that, she was Executive Director of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs for five years, where she worked on domestic and international policy for the organized Jewish community in North America.

Ms. Rosenthal served as Midwest regional director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Clinton Administration. She was involved in community organizing, and the antiwar and civil rights movements in the 1960s.

Ms. Rosenthal attended graduate school for rabbinical studies at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and Los Angeles, and holds a bachelor’s degree in religion from the University of Wisconsin. Ms. Rosenthal has two grown daughters who are busy mending the world with their mom.

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Launched in 1999, the Rumi Forum has consistently worked to foster interreligious and intercultural understanding at a pivotal time in our human history. Recently, we were honored to attend the 2011 Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards, the Turkish American organization’s annual celebration of leadership towards global harmony.

The Director of our Office, Joshua DuBois, received the “Extraordinary Commitment to Public Service Award” for his work as Special Assistant to the President and Executive Director of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Also recognized by the Rumi Forum were Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Dr. Alan G. Merten, Diane Rehm, and Rev. John Bryson Chane. Each was commended for his or her work to promote peace and dialogue through service in government, church, higher education, or media.

Discover Turkey

"When I was in Turkey"

Andrea Jones

My name is Andrea Jones and I am a Pastor in Earlysville, Virginia, and I am also a doctoral student at Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond. Some of the things have already been said but I did notice also that the people on this group seem to have a deep appreciation for each other’s sacred spaces, and that meant a lot to me. Christians could step into Blue Mosque and be moved by it, and Muslims can step into the churches in Cappadocia and be moved by that; just a high reverence for each other’s sacred space was meaningful to me. Because even as a Baptist I don’t feel like my space is always appreciated by other Baptists even, so it was very… but again it goes back to the uniqueness of the group. I think this group was just Baptist, we would have a lot of fight (laughs), or if it was just something else. The uniqueness was wonderful. Secondly, I loved being in the homes and getting to see the children interact with their parents and the men serving us at night at the table. Anyways just really felt special inside the Turkish homes and thank you again for the opportunity.

Brent Jones

My name is Brent Jones, I am a PhD student at the University of Virginia in American Religious History. Like Mike I agree that, I imagined mostly a group of the Christians or even secular intellectuals travelling around a Muslim country having conversations occasionally with Muslims; but one of the biggest strengths of this trip is that actually we were a blended group in a lot of ways: Muslims, Christians, and different types of Christians, and even secular intellectuals, and so really the good dialog I felt like a lot of best dialog happened on busses and planes, and sitting around talking as we moved between places and that I guess was the biggest strength of the trip. The good news was we were doing that as we were seeing some incredible places. And so anyway that’s what I got most out of the trip. I also really appreciate, this is an odd compliment to give I guess but, seldom do I see things like this where people willing to pay you to have an experience like this without then turning around and asking you for your money in some way (laughs). The down side to that is support one thing, my money is another thing. In America typically request for money comes at some point, and I was expecting that, not upset about it, it was interesting to me that Gulen Movement or RumiForum wouldn’t accept it. Anyway, that was very interesting to me. I was gonna be appreciative anyway but it also made be appreciative to hear that. There wasn’t some sort of an ulterior motive I guess so I appreciate that…

Don Zigler

I am Don Zigler, I am a geographer at Old Dominion University, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. This trip didn’t really start for me a week ago; it started perhaps eight or more years ago when Zafer Pirim first appeared in my class as a teaching assistant. He was one of the first of three or four Turkish students who became my graduate assistant. Then in itself was a wonderful part of my continuing education. It was good for me, it was good for my class, it was good for my students. A little I did realize was to end up do for me than I ever did for him. In putting personal face on Turkey and putting a personal face on the Islamic religion.

I suppose our intercultural dialog took place over many years but one of the things I asked Zafer actually my other graduate students to do too, was to go along with on meals on wheels runs, that through my church we do regularly, and Zafer was delighted and very often when Zafer sees me he still mentions it which comes as real boon to my soul. So that venture was sort of Christian faith in action, now I am here in Turkey and seeing how Islamic faith in action can operate as well. So I think I have been on a trip that really lasted may be a decade. I can’t quite remember when I first met Zafer; it seems like forever. I would like however to thank the rest of this group, eventually I have to say I have taken groups abroad and I know the stresses of putting these things together, and adjusting schedules and meetings and visits at the last minutes. So it is very much appreciated; you did it flawlessly. We were not aware when somethings probably went wrong but didn’t. You did a good job of managing the whole process. It was a very very enjoyable experience. As a geographer I just have to say you know you have to realize that this is one of the premier places in all of the world history. I mean this intercontinental…

Edward Campana

I am Ed Campana. I teach Humanities at Strayer University in the Washington DC area. It is working adults who take usually four hour classes once a week. I want to thank, and this is not pro-forma; I mean it in the bottom of my heart. I wanna thank the Rumi Forum for this opportunity and especially Ali, Jenna, Zafer and Vedat who is not here. You are all the underpinnings who really make this what it is. And to my class; without you I will be the only student in the group. This is just a small movement but the principal of, it is better to light one match, than to curse the darkness, and this is a start. I had tremendous anxiety; this is the first time I came to Turkey and I was not sure what to expect. What I did is, I left my USA flight t-shirt and Boston Red Sox cap at home because I didn’t know what to expect and I didn’t want to be a moving target.

Fortunately, I was completely wrong! But I didn’t know much about the people. I know you were going to put your best foot forward, and even if we saw the cream of the crop with the people that you introduced us to it was still stellar and sterling; the people you showed us. Some you mentioned on the street and so forth, they were just super courteous, really really nice, and they didn’t know who we were other than that we were foreigners, but God-fearing and God-loving people. If you want to take this negative, I don’t think it is, the laissez faire that we recess, I was just overflowed of good things. I am gonna need couple of months to absorb what we had over the last week or so. If you could incorporate some, a little more down time to relax, just to pull our thoughts together, if you could; and again it is the laissez faire we recess. The bonanza of enrichment is immeasurable, what we went through, and please don’t take it as a complaint; it is not. But it would be nice to catch my breath and the thing is I am not the oldest one in the group either, but good…

Edward Ondrako

I am Ed Ondrako, I am a Franciscan, and I would like to echo the magnificent sentiments that we have been listening to all evening, particularly emphasizing the gifts that are brought by everybody in this room, from the leaders, all of us participating, from the insights sharing on what’s going on in our hearts, in our minds, and our hopes for the future. I am struck by one short part of the conversation last evening when I sensed such an authentic compassion by those who are hosting us. Compassion and more than that! Empathy and loyalty towards truth and candor about difficulties! That had to do when there were comments made about 9/11.

I think I have never heard such forceful statement by our hosts here, that was typical of so many other people, how they in great pain at 9/11 and the time after it. It is that kind of candor and loyalty are such difficult things that gives me great hope for the future because we look to the past and we can use a phrase, I take it from Vatican, and find so often comfort in it, that truth wins because it is truth. It wins with its gentleness and with its power! The Gulen Movement in my experience so far, and my reading about it, but mostly in our experiencing at these last days is that’s what the Gulen Movement is focusing on: Truth wins! I couldn’t help but think, you know we discovered something, such a pleasant surprise that by wearing the Franciscan habit here in Turkey, so many young people especially came up and wanted to take pictures taken and wanted to hug me and I could not help but think after a while I was hugging the children, say we are gonna build a safer and more harmonious world for you, so help us God! And that’s what we are gonna do for you and the Gulen Movement is doing that, and I can’t help but think as a Franciscan that’s what I am called to do.

I think as a very final comment, when we were with the Zaman editors as well as with those who were involved in publishing, and Bishop Morrowich was with us; he spoke to us briefly about Nostra Aetate, that was one of the documents that emerged in the Vatican Council about the Catholic Church’s relationship to those who don’t believe as Catholics do, and he was very emphatic about that as the blueprint not only for the present but also for the future. Then when we were finished, I asked about the Assisi Decalogue peace that was written by all of the religious representatives who met in Assisi shortly after 9/11 in January 2002. I asked whether that was used as a tool, because the potential for it is there, but why is it sort of sitting on the shelf, as one might say? He was very positive how important that was, but he said, things take time and this goes, he used the word, lantama, slowly. But the Gulen Movement, so the Franciscans, and the goodwill I hear in the group that we have; with all our human frailty and all our strengths, we are not all saing for sure, but we are all working together to build this better world. So I thank the RumiForum and our leaders for all of the hard work and sacrifices to make this come true for us.

Katrin Scholz Barth

My name is Katrin Scholtz Barth. I am Kai’s wife and I have my own consulting firm in Washington DC on environmental consulting. I also teach six years at the University of Pennsylvania and for two years at Harvard University about ecological and sustainable institution design and watershed protection in particular green roots. I have um, first of all I have to start in thanking Ali and Jenna for this wonderful trip and the group in general for great company throughout those seven days with conversations that I would never had imagined.

Kai Henrik Barth

My name is Kai Henrik Barth. I am a Professor in the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University where I teach in the Security Studies Program. My own portfolio is technology and security. I would like to thank in particular Ali, Jenna and Zafer for a fantastic organization of the trip. It has been very rewarding in a number of ways. In particular it is for the first time in many years I have to say that I have thought so much about religion and culture in a short period of time. I had the good fortune of having a very interesting conversation with Ali today and I am sure he has come to similar view that he has never talked with a guy like me, and I have never talked with a guy like him on issues such as religion.

Marcia McMahon

I am Maria McMahon, currently an agnation volunteer with a non-profit that helps women with low incomes. I am so grateful for having been able to go on this trip. It has been a wonderful experience. The incredibly breathtaking and awe-inspiring historic religious sites have been wonderful. But most I have enjoyed being able to meet and talk with Turkish people especially the RumiForum people on the trip. It has been a wonderful opportunity to learn more about how people live in Turkey which my interest at the moment. I have particularly enjoyed going to the home visit last night. It was wonderful to be able to talk with the Turkish people who so graciously hosted us. That was a wonderful opportunity. I wish some of the other dinners could be turned into an opportunity to speak with people one-on-one. So thank you very much for this beautiful trip.

Michael Talbert

My name is Michael Talbert. I am an Elder at Burke Presbyterian Church in Burke, Virginia. I spent, in my working career; a lot of time oversees mostly involved with various international development projects. I was quite excited about the idea coming back to Turkey. I was here in 1997 for a few days in Istanbul. We have to say that the first thing I have a comment on this trip is the people I was traveling with. You couldn’t imagine a more delightful group of to be on the road day and night. I thank everyone for that.

Miriam Achenbach

My name is Miriam Achenbach. I am a librarian at Georgetown University, and was previously a public librarian for almost twenty years. The first thing came to mind when you asked about our thoughts on the trip were that it offered an incredible range for learning that we could learn every moment that we were engaged in the trip about ourselves, about each other, about the country, that I am someone who needs a lot of time to digest things that was not really possible on this trip. So I think when I get home I will be doing a lot of thinking and cogitating as a friend of mine says, and umm, thank you again for all your help today, yesterday, throughout the whole trip; and I wanted to say that if you needed anybody to pick people up at the airport, no I am serious, people who speak English, because obviously I can speak to it anybody in another language, I will be happy to do that.

Marilyn Jersild

I am Marilyn Jersild from Norfolk Virginia. I first of all want to say to the RumiForum people: thank you again for all of this! It was wonderful meeting to all staff and all the people on this trip as many have said again, that’s been a real highpoint, and all the good conversations we had. I am very grateful that you allow the couple of 75 year olds to come along. (laughs) We debated for a while if we are up to this but it’s been wonderful and even though the pace has been hectic, we did it, so it has been good. I especially was fascinated and happy to learn to more about the whole political scene here in Turkey. It has been very complex, not easily understood by us, and so it was very helpful to be exposed to everything that you are doing here.

Paul Jersild

I am Paul Jersid, a retired Professor of Ethics at The Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia South Carolina. I live in Norfolk. I will certainly echo everything my wife has said. One point that I might just raise is; although you have to recognize that a decrepit retired fellow is making the point; but sometimes I thought that the schedule was too hectic. We could have eliminated may be one event every other day.

Something like that! Hah hah! I don’t know! At the same time we would have missed … this is the eliminated version… (laughs)… oh dear! (laughs)… I appreciated all of our stops but particularly meaningful for me was the Cappadocia day, and seeing that Monastic community and associating it with the great names of Basil and the two Gregory’s. I had not expected that. I hadn’t realized we were going to actually see that site, so that was really very nice, and the Ephesus ruins too was the real highlights. And let me just reiterate the enjoyment of the fellowshipping with the people who are here. I think that this kind of an event attracts people who are going to be interesting, because it is an invitation to get outside of your own middle runts and to reach out to people who have been very strange to us. That’s a learning and a growing experience and people who are willing to that are important people so that’s..

William Collinge

My name is William Collinge and I teach Theology and some Philosophy from time to time at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland. I was trying to say it is tough to be the eighth inline, I guess I am ninth now counting the Muezzin (laughs). Many of my reactions would be the same as with what other people have said. I have been delighted by the wonderful hospitality of the Turkish people. I just loved the conversations that have gone on within the group. We really do have a great group, great and diverse group. The trip will certainly change the way that I teach about this part of the world. I never really said much about Turkey because I didn’t understand it very well, and I still don’t, but I think I know a little more now. It certainly is going to be part of what I talk about the Muslim World..

I haven’t had a chance to teach Christian Antiquities in the last ten years or so, but if I ever get a chance to do it again before I become a Christian antiquity myself, (laughs), it certainly will make a great deal of difference that I now have been to the places that St Paul walked and preached. They have a different shape to me in my mind now than they used to have. One other thing is that I am just delighted to become acquainted; however minimally; with your wonderful language. I do hope that next time I see Adnan that I will not have to say him “Bilmiyorum Turkce!” (laughs). I was asked couple of questions while Muezzin was talking. May I answer them on tape or should I answer them separately?... I have been compiling a directory of those on the trip and I have got you all with your vital statistics. If you are not on please say so. Also since people have asked about it, I will send copies of my trip log to everyone, and if you don’t want it you can just delete it..

Trudy Conway

I am Trudy Conway. I am a Professor of Philosophy at Mount Saint Mary’s University which is in Maryland. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to travel extensively in the Middle East. I was a professor with my husband at Shiraz University. My experience over the last thirty years; we will be celebrating our 30th anniversary soon; is a deepening spiralling into the Middle Eastern culture, and I feel that my life has been tremendously enriched by this. In many ways what RumiForum is about is what our marriage is about. So the trip has been wonderful, because it is affirmed at a communal level what I think we live in our marriage. I teach courses on intercultural dialog and the situation of the woman in the Middle East, and I also teach the courses concerning the virtues that are required for intercultural dialog.

I often; talking to my students; say only so much can be conveyed in books. So there should be a lot of films where at least Middle Eastern people are present in using their own voices. But I always say to them to open the Middle East requires that you have face-to-face interactions, and that they would come to know the virtues that define Middle Eastern culture, and I always emphasize for them the definitive virtue is hospitality. In many ways hospitality is at the essence of intercultural dialog because you view the other person as coming bearing gifts, and as exactly what Rumi says “What we go come into better understand ourselves and doing that come into understand the other better”. So in many ways this trip has been an embodiment of so much that we live and so much that I write on and teach. So it has been a delightful pleasure, and I also think it is a wonderful embodiment of liberal arts education. We see the kind of enrichment that comes in terms of understanding of our own commitments and values through learning about all these different disciplines. I don’t know it is that good fortune this week but the fact that we have such a diversity of disciplines and that we have been so enriched by these conversations. So I am very grateful for the opportunity for you to set up this; really an affirmative experience!”

Jane Tilly

…Jane Tilly and I work on the health research on public programs that serve mostly poor people in the US, so I was really interested in (the trip), as one of the highlights being visits to the hospitals to talk with people. I learnt that Turkey is ahead of the US in terms of all its citizens having access to healthcare. We don’t have that in our country. The fifteen percent of people under age sixty-five don’t have health insurance at all. That was one area that you are doing a little better than we are. But the biggest thing for me was the learning experience since I’ve been involved with the RumiForum which was about on six months or so, something like that.

We had an interfaith dialog on healthcare for people who are dying and I learnt a little bit more; I had known of the Poet Rumi and I had known about Sufism and as like this has been a very great learning experience. And for me, I have done a lot of travel in Europe, in places like Australia, but I haven’t had really the experience being in a place with Muslim- Christian, interesting mixture of Europe-Asia, and I see a lot of value on both in being able to get a better understanding and a lot of touristic experience. I know we have gone to place to place on bus, and talked about but we’ve got a chance to meet a lot of Turkish people and experience the country in a way I think only few other people can. So we are really grateful for that, and I, in addition to loving to learn, I love to give back sometimes. So if there is any way I can teach here or someplace else and get involved in the RumiForum and someway be helpful then I would like to talk about that at some point…

Father Thomas Ryan

My name is Tom Ryan, and I am a Catholic priest. In Christian faith understanding the whole notion of grace is very close to the experience of gift. This has been a very palpable experience of gift in all kinds of very concrete ways. The risk of being plebeian when arrives at the airport, get off the plane and there is a bus waiting. You come to the hotel and there is a room reservation already made for you. You experience hunger and the food is set before you copiously. Thirst; and the water is continually handed out to you. You want to visit a museum and it is closed to the public but hey it gets opened and you can have a special tour. That is what I mean by concrete experience of gift. So that’s first level for me. It is one thing to take a trip and it is another to find compatible interesting people with whom to travel, and that too has been a concrete experience of gift.

The diversity of backgrounds both educational, religious and the wonderful conversations that we’ve had sitting in the bus, over meals, walking along in the streets have been a very rich element of the experience. For me personally it has been a very valuable experience because I’ve just moved to the Washington metropolitan area, and I feel like I am coming out of this weeklong experience with like 16-20 new friends with whom there is a rich experience that has been shared and one which with we can build relations and I look forward to that. I am also very thrilled to learn more about the Gulen movement and its very impressive works and I look forward to being an active supporter collaborator with you in ways yet unforeseen. I think just to keep the edge there for the planning team, a couple of reflections: I think the instinct was exactly right that we would go to the Jewish museum today. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to do everything today but I think that kind of religious inclusiveness as a set part of the program would be entirely appropriate with the nature of the movement and the composition of the people in the group. I would also like to encourage the team just to be kind themselves and give themselves a rest day in between end of one group and beginning of another..

Joshua Mitchell

…I don’t think I can offer much more than for all the other people have said because as I have fallen asleep at night; pardon! Josh Mithchell, Government Department, Georgetown University (laughs). As I have fallen asleep for midnight nap, just what is really for introduction, hah hah, for each night I have tried to parse out what is exhausted relations from the kind of judgments about what is happening here and what I found is that, both the conversations on the bus and late at night before falling asleep I had tremendous optimism in spirit about what I have seen. I think part of the reason why that’s the case is that I have studied history of political philosophy, development of modernity for twenty five years, and I realize I don’t think we have the categories any more to understand what is really about to unfold in the 21st century. I look around the table I see all of us, even the youngsters in the end there, all of us are profoundly shaped by kind of a cold war story we told ourselves in the West; and that was; is it gonna be top down authoritarian government or representative democracy; is it gonna be Marxism or Adam Smith? And then in 1989 when Berlin Wall fell we thought the remaining history is been determined; and that representative democracy one and Adam Smith at the other! And so we talked about a post-war period which is an extraordinary notion in itself when people come to the end of the war. And then in 2001 a lot of us waken about the fact that there is this thing called Muslim World and our confrontation with it as Michael has pointed out. It was not a pretty one. And so what is being setup now I think in the United States is an antinomy between the forces of life and then Islamic fundamentalism.

We do not have a category in our public discourse in the US to deal with some other alternative. I think that’s what Turkey is showing me is that there is a fact that there is a lot of understanding option which remains complex but as you don’t know how things gonna unfold I think what this new world is showing us is that even in the West when told the story and I believe in the story by the way. The March of Freedom and the March of Women to co lead but I caution all of us because it is not self evident to me the West’s story on this will be the final story. It is gonna unfold in ways that we can’t even begin to imagine. We don’t have a guide now; I think that’s what we have in the West to understand. We can’t use the old guides and the only way we are gonna proceed is one conversation at a time. That’s why I think what you are doing is absolutely extraordinary.

Leah Rampy

My name is Leah Rampy. I am a business consultant specifically focusing on leadership and I also facilitate multicultural community dialogs. So lots of things have been running through my mind about the fabulous experience that we had, about the opportunity to be with all the people sitting around this table for the opportunity to see the wonderful things that we have been able to experience. But I think that what I want to do is use my minitive airtime to speak my gratitude in two ways. First I wanna speak gratitude specifically for those of you who have been so much a part of making this a very special experience, so I wish to thank you for your ever positive smile and willingness to do whatever you needed to do and Vedat for the mischievous nature, hah hah. I had no idea you had. He tried to steal my camera in Istanbul on the first day when I was here. For literally and figuratively making water appear when it was needed. And Jenna for always being there no matter what we needed and when we needed it, and keeping calm in spite of the chaos around you; just for making this trip so much a part of what comes from your heart and your love for this country. I thank you for that! And Ali for what is clearly a very important part of your expression of your love and care and your deep desire to connect us with others who feel so much aligned with bringing peace and love and community to the world the importance of dialog.

So I want to express gratitude for that! The second gratitude I want to express is to the people you put us in contact with who moved very quickly from speaking philosophically or politically just speaking from the heart. And we did community dialog we really invite people to speak from the eye to speak what is import for them, their experiences, their own believes, their feelings. Because I believe we believe that that’s how people connect; that when we see the humanity in each other. It is very hard to understand the humanity when we are hiding behind our political statements and our walls every way and even our philosophies, but when we move into speaking from the heart there’s the opportunity to understand each other in a very human way. I want to express appreciation for all the people you put us in contact with who are so willing to that among us as strangers. So it was hospitality but it was more than hospitality. For me it was courage and a spirit of commitment and dedication and deep love for what these individuals believe right; and for that I wanna say thank you!

Brenda Bearden

I am Brenda Bearden from Georgetown University where I teach English and I train teachers of English. So not to be repetitive, I think we all second Amira’s feelings about the trip, all positives. I just would like to make two comments from my own personal perspective, first as a teacher. We have been extremely impressed with the quality of your educational programs and your facilities. Speaking with the teachers and administrators throughout this trip all the schools we visited; we have really been encouraged that you have done a fantastic job and will be and are all graduating the leaders of Turkey, and they will make you proud.

Secondly, as a female who lived through, worked through and succeeded in an environment where females were not equal to males. Having sacrificed quite a bit during that time and attained an equal status with male executives, it is difficult for me to see young females putting obstacles in their career path, and I realized that the tensions they feel between making that choice and expressing their religious views is tremendous, but it is hurtful. I just see that big big big obstacle for all of them that. If I could wash it away I would but I hope that somehow together we can all find a way to make that path all easy.

Emilie Richards

I am a novelist, and one of the things that a novelist do when they novels is to collect the evocative moments because you can’t tell the whole story. You have to evoke a picture for the people right away. As I have been on this trip I have been collecting evocative moments not that I had a moment to write them now, (laughs) …, and I won’t go through my evocative moments not all of them anyway, one of the very first was coming on the bus when we came up, we were first looking at Istanbul; first time I have ever seen Istanbul; and then as we circled around and went above the bridge, the sun was setting behind the mosque; and then when we were out of the boat I heard the call for the prayer for the first time. Those were really very amazing moments. There are many many of those. So I thank you for the evocative moments! They will be living in my heart and in my mind in many many ways in the future. Of course so many people have already mentioned hospitality of the people; that was certainly the biggest evocative moment that I had. It was just how wonderful people are for no good reason just to be good. It is just amazing.

The second thing I would say was how interesting it was being on the bus and watching dynamics of people. I mean not an “under a microscope” kind of thing but just watching the layers coming peeling off. When we started out we were strangers, we all knew that probably we had a lot common on some level but we did not really know what it was. So people were very careful, and then little by little as the trip progressed, people’s sense of humor began to come out, people began to really share their stories a piece at a time, and when they realize they are accepted they shared a little bit more and it just hit me as we are sitting here and listening to each other that’s what this (Gulen) movement is all about. This is a movement you have created is putting people together starting as strangers and little by little peeling off the layers, and that’s what we did on the bus, and that’s what you are trying to do. It works as well for all the whole movement it worked as it worked for the people on the bus, the people that have been together this week. Then there’s really hope. For that I am really grateful, and then I want to just reiterate, I want to say that a little more time to process this wonderful experience would be so appreciated. But that is such a small thing in comparison to everything else. So I say thank you to everybody. It has been wonderful!

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