Said to have been mobilized for the mission “to multiply social common grounds”, the Gulen movement is now taking a crucial step towards concretizing its initiatives for the Alevi community. The relations established through various activities to date are this time presented in the form of a project.
As revealed to Rotahaber, a delegation from the movement had previously paid a visit to Cem Foundation President Prof. Izzettin Dogan. During the visit, the delegation proposed the idea “to partner in a project to build a mosque and cemevi in the capital, Ankara” to Dogan. Dogan expressed his pleasure with the proposal and added: “I have an addition to the idea: There should be kitchen built between the mosque and cemevi (Alevi gathering house) so that both mosque and cemevi attendees can find an environment to get together.” His proposal too gained approval and the project was confirmed. To put it into effect, a land of nearly 6,500 m² has been found and both parties are currently conducting preliminary work on details.
Dogan: Hear it firsthand
On March 30, Prof. Izzettin Dogan gave a brief statement about the project at the general meeting of the foundation. Summing up the project in progress Dogan said, “Both parties are working on it. The project is still in gestation and we are trying to develop it. I wanted to let you hear it from me rather than from others with missing information.”
Gulen and Dogan friendship starting with an interview
An earlier interview had initiated the close ties between Gulen and Dogan. At the interview, Gulen’s answer to the question “Why do you prefer to establish schools mainly in Asian and Turkic countries rather than in Arab regions?” caught Dogan’s attention. In response to the question Gulen said: “…Turkic countries embraced us. They can be offered Sufism. Besides mosques, cemevis should also multiply across the world.”
Published [in Turkish] on Rotahaber, 1 April 2013, Monday
