Fethullah Gulen's message of condolence for the US consulate attacks

Fethullah Gülen

I have learned with sadness that Ambassador Christopher Stevens, along with three other people who worked at the embassy, lost their lives during the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi. I severely protest the attack which targeted the Ambassador, who represented the United States in Libya with respect to his duty, and who was at the same time a guest in that country, and at this time I also condemn all terrorism, no matter who is responsible.

Fethullah Gülen strongly condemns US consulate attack, extends condolences

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has strongly condemned at attack on US Consulate in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including Libyan ambassador, and expressed deep condolences to the American people.

Fethullah Gulen on "Islam and State"

Q: What is the Islamic understanding of “state”? What is the place of “state” in the Qur’an? Many contemporary Muslims have spoken out about the establishment of an Islamic state based on the principles of Shariah — could you kindly give me your thoughts on the subject.

Fethullah Gulen: Those who study and put forward opinions concerning the Islamic perspective of state and politics usually confuse Islam established by the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet with the Islam as constructed through the historical experiences of Muslims and of course based on shari’ah (legal) principles, and also the superficially observed Islam of the modern times. They come up with various shapes and forms in the name of Islam; sometimes using Qur’anic citations, a few selected sayings of the Prophet, or sometimes ideas and suggestions of one of our contemporary thinkers and they vow to make their interpretation reign if they have the opportunity.

Fethullah Gulen on "Individual and State"

Q: What is the relationship between an individual and the state, according to the teaching of Islam? What is the place and function of an individual within a state?

Fethullah Gulen: The modern world and contemporary systems of thought claim that for the first time in history individuals have become the true, active subjects of their lives and their actions. According to these modern systems of thought, individuals have depended on the traditions that have come down from the past to the present day, imprisoning themselves within the limits of these traditions. Since the group attitude has become the norm, and as it is not possible to change the established standards of communal life, it has been the destiny of individuals to remain only passive, obedient members of the community. In the modern age, they have finally started to free themselves from this imprisonment, acquiring their individual personalities. Until the modern age, individuals were not free and were not independent. Although these thoughts on individualism are true for some cultures and some regions of the world, they are not true for every religion, for every thought, and for every community. From the perspective of Tawhid, which is the main principle of the unity of God in Islam, it is impossible to have unrestricted individualism. This is because humans are either both free with no acceptance of any moral values and rebellious with no moral criteria; or they are servants who are dependent on God and seriously obedient to His commands. Through being obedient servants of God, the individuals will not bow before any power and will not sacrifice an ounce of their freedom.

Special Issue on Fethullah Gulen - Muslim World Journal, July 2005

This article is the introduction to the Muslim World journal's Special Issue titled Islam in Contemporary Turkey: The Contributions of Fethullah Gulen.

Dr. Zeki Saritoprak

Turkey has become increasingly interesting to Scholars of Middle East and Islamic studies as the only Muslim nation in NATO and now will be starting full membership negotiations with the European Union, where it can bridge Islamic and Western civilizations. There is no doubt that Islam constitutes one of the most essential elements of Turkish culture---ninety-nine percent of the Turkish population is Muslim. The subject of this special issue, Fethullah Gülen (1941-) is a very influential Islamic personality in modern day Turkey. His influence not only comes from his charismatic religious personality but also from the large array of educational and social institutions that have been established by his many admirers who take his advice and recommendations very seriously. The Muslim World journal, by dedicating this special issue to a prominent figure like Gulen and religiously motivated civic movement he initiated, would contribute greatly to the understanding of Turkish Islamic modernities.

Fethullah Gülen's solution to Kurdish issue discussed at panel

A solution to the Kurdish issue proposed by Turkish religious figure Fethullah Gülen has been discussed at a symposium in the southeastern province of Bingöl.

‘Kurdish initiative should not be suspended by provocative acts'

Tuğba Mezararkalı / Mehmet Tayanç

The final declaration of a recent symposium on Turkey's Kurdish issue, attended by Turkish and international academics, authors, politicians and leading thinkers, says that Kurdish initiatives aiming to resolve Turkey's long-standing Kurdish problem by meeting some of the Kurdish people's demands should not be suspended due to provocative acts.

Different Cultures, Different System: Same Success Story

The recent findings are speaking about the extraordinary achievement Gulen-inspired school demonstrated all over the world so far. There are currently more than 1000 Gulen-inspired schools in more than 110 countries around the world. In the European countries, there are at least a dozen Gulen-inspired schools, and more than 150 smaller educational and cultural centers.

Gülen extends condolences to families of arsenal blast victims

Well-respected Turkish intellectual and scholar Fethullah Gülen has conveyed his condolences to the families of 25 soldiers who were killed in a huge explosion at an ammunition depot in the western province of Afyonkarahisar on Wednesday.

Glocalization of the Gülen Education Model

Dr. Margaret A. Johnson

Gülen Movement members believe with absolute certainty that in today’s world our global conflicts will not be solved through brute force or military might. Ultimately, it is only through persuasion, tolerance, and understanding brought about through dialogue that we might enjoy a peaceful coexistence in this world. As a basis for fruitful dialogue we must have an educated citizenry whose minds and hearts are open, and who have nurtured universal human values within themselves, including valuing diversity and all human beings. It is only then, that we can hope to achieve the ultimate goal of the Gülen Movement — for all human beings to live with each other in a peaceful coexistence while embracing their diversity. We must appreciate the long-range vision and time horizon of the Gülen Movement. In a world that has come to expect quick fixes for everything – even global conflicts, here we have a movement that is willing to take a multi-generational approach starting with our youth. We have much to learn about the hurdles to realizing this vision, and we can learn more as we study the process by which ideas get transmitted across a society as we see happening here with the Gülen-inspired schools in Indonesia.

Can the West believe in Islamic progress?

Tal Buenos *

While the West has been largely indecisive about its position on the several recent experimental and violent renegotiations of Islam and power in the Middle East, its feelings on Islamic power have been rather clearly demonstrated over the years: The acquisition of power by Islamic entities is a cause for concern. By the same token, the Islamization of a powerful entity is also a cause for concern.

Fethullah Gülen’s Golden Generation: Integration of Muslim Identity with the World through Education

Yetkin Yıldırım, Süphan Kırmızıaltın *

Turkey is a crucible in which Eastern and Western civilizations, secular ideas, and Islamic tradition merge. Using ideas born in the Turkish context, Fethullah Gülen and his followers have developed and put into practice an educational system that combines the strengths of both European and Islamic cultures, cultivating students of academic achievement in the sciences who possess deep ethical grounding. Founded in universal values of honesty, hard work, harmony and conscientious service, Gülen’s model appeals to people with a wide range of beliefs. Through Gülen’s teachings, this educational system stresses the compatibility of science with Islam and aims to bring up people equipped with the moral values and knowledge to use science for the benefit of mankind.

Turkish aid foundations working to resolve water problem in Africa

Numerous Turkish aid foundations are working to resolve Africa's long-standing water supply problem by digging wells in various countries across the continent, with over 1,500 sunk so far.

 

Africa suffers from a lack of drinking water due to drought, which is common across the continent. Research being conducted into the issue shows that 4,900 children die every day in Africa due to a lack of drinking water or diseases caused by drinking contaminated water.

Hizmet Schools: A new pedagogy

Thomas Michel

A teacher watches students playing chess
at the Gulen Movement-affiliated Fatih Koleji
school in Istanbul. (Photo: Justin Vela)

Members of the Hizmet community hope to change society through a new type of education that draws from and integrates disparate strands of previous pedagogic systems. Gülen’s starting point was his recognition of the need for a new kind of school, a system of education that would draw what was best from the existing alternatives and integrate them into the kind of education needed by modern students. Gülen looked at the kinds of education that were being offered in Turkey in his day. He found that each had some strong point but that each was also lacking in some important areas.

Fethullah Gulen: Inspirer of Multi-disciplinary Studies

Kerim Balci *

"The work of Gulen's followers in Turkey shows that Islam-as taught by Gulen-seeks tolerance, not conflict; it aims for a better society, not political power; and it manifests itself in prayer and concrete local action."

Peace and Dialogue in the Plural Society: Common Values and Responsibilities

Thomas Michel

I would like to begin by congratulating the Australian Intercultural Society for organizing and holding this conference* on the theme of “Peace and Dialogue in a Plural Society: Common Values and Responsibilities.” This is exactly the kind of initiative that is urgently needed around the world today, as we try, through dialogue, to build communication and respect as an alternative to suspicion and violence.

AKP, Hizmet and politics

İhsan Yılmaz

I have written repeatedly about the relationship between the Hizmet movement and politics here. Unfortunately, it still needs some more discussion. As is well known, Hizmet never associates itself with political parties.

The Contribution of Fethullah Gulen on Christian-Muslim relations

Mustafa Erol *

Dialogue has been the buzz word for around a century especially during the last 3-4 decades to improve the relationship between individuals and communities especially members of different faiths. Dialogue is still the work of people who are overwhelmingly either member of a religious faith or work of a religious institution. One important individual from an Islamic background who has contributed on this issue positively has been Fethullah Gulen. His followers who subscribe themselves to his approach have established many dialogue institutions, over 130 different countries to implement his philosophy.

From Gandhi to Gülen: The Habitus of Non-Agressive Action

New Social Movement theory regards all cultural movements as “expressive” and “confrontational” social movements. Instead, as proved in the Gandhian Chipko movement and the Gülen movement cases, cultural movements are more prone to combine strategic and expressive elements simultaneously when they are compared to political movements.

Fethullah Gulen and Said Nursi

Dr. Greg Barton *

Gülen is generally seen to draw directly on the intellectual heritage of the influential and greatly loved Sufi scholar and writer Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. And indeed, an examination of Gülen’s writing reveals it to be substantially built upon the foundation laid by Nursi, who in turn drew upon the great Anatolian Sufi Mevlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi (d. 1276) and the Indian writers Ahmad Faruqi Sirhindi (1564-1624) and Shah Wali Allah al-Dihlawi (1703-1762) amongst others.

Fethullah Gulen: A pious, dedicated Muslim

Fethullah Gülen is a dedicated, pious Muslim. What lie under his idealism and activism are his piety and personal spiritual-prayer that he has pursed since early childhood. He devoted his life to bringing peace to the world. We can only understand Gulen best, if we understand his piety and prayer life.

Dr. Salih Yucel spent eight days by his side as an observer in order to better understand Fethullah Gülen and his spiritual practices. During this period, he had a chance to observe his daily life and meet some of his students and close friends, including Professor Suat Yildirim, former Dean of the School of Divinity in Sakarya, Turkey. Below is summary of a section from Dr. Yucel’s article:

Fethullah Gülen’s views on Jihad, Peacemaking and Nonviolence

Asma Afsaruddin *

Fethullah Gülen’s views on jihad and peaceful co-existence of different faith and cultural communities are strongly grounded in Qur’anic and Sunnaic perspectives and represent a mimetic continuity with them. As a practitioner of tasawwuf (Sufism), he emphasizes the importance of the greater internal jihad without disavowing the necessity of the lesser external jihad in specific situations. Thus in his explication of the distinction between these two forms of struggling in the path of God, Gülen says:

Gülen’s Rethinking of Islamic Pattern and Its Socio-Political Effects

Fabio Vicini *

Over recent decades Islamic traditions have emerged in new forms in different parts of the Muslim world, interacting differently with secular and neo-liberal patterns of thought and action. In Turkey Fethullah Gülen’s community has been a powerful player in the national debate about the place of Islam in individual and collective life. Through emphasis on the importance of ‘secular education‘ and a commitment to the defense of both democratic principles and international human rights, Gülen has diffused a new and appealing version of how a ‘good Muslim‘ should act in contemporary society. In particular he has defended the role of Islam in the formation of individuals as ethically-responsible moral subjects, a project that overlaps significantly with the ‘secular’ one of forming responsible citizens.

Turkish schools in Thailand visit the Minister of Trade

A group of teachers and students from Turkish schools in Thailand, who participated in various international Olympiads, visited the minister of trade Mr. Boonsong Teriyapirom at his home.

The Hidden Agenda of Hizmet Movement: Serving People with no Expectations

There is not a day that we don’t see a news article or a column about Hizmet (Service) Movement inspired by Fethullah Gulen. Some of these appear with sensational headlines like “Hidden Agenda” or “Grand Ambition” of Gulen Movement and get refuted by many officials and scholars. There are so many different claims and opinions about Hizmet movement that the actual agenda of the movement is really lost in that noise. This short note is to point out the obvious fact that the actual agenda of the movement is hidden in its very name “Hizmet (Service)”.

NY Times: Cooking Classes Help Spread Flavor of Turkey

Joan Nathan *

The aroma of sautéed onion and pepper wafted from a converted two-story office space next to a shopping center here. The ingredients were to be combined with red lentils, scallions and parsley, then molded into balls and wrapped in lettuce leaves, an appetizer from Oktay Usta, a famous Turkish chef.

Social Responsibility - The Main Characteristic of a Devoted Volunteer in Hizmet Movement

“The Hizmet movement comprises of volunteers, who with their profound sense of responsibility feel the need to contribute in solving the problems of their own societies and of the entire world.” That is how the movement is introduced in an article titled “Basic characteristics of Gulen Movement”. Because of their strong social responsibility, the devoted volunteers of Hizmet movement are not interested in daily political debates nor in the hot discussions of news of the day, but always can and do focus on the actual problems of the society and contribute to the common good of the community.

Analysis: An open mind and a thoughtful one

Tom Wheeler *

When I wrote recently of my positive impression of the moderation I experienced at Israeli President Shimon Peres’s conference on Facing Tomorrow in Jerusalem, I was subjected to vicious criticism by a Muslim commentator which, in turn, elicited a sharp rebuke from a Jewish activist. All were published in The New Age.

Tolerance in the Theology and Thought of Fethullah Gülen

David B. Capes *

In his writings and oral addresses, Fethullah Gülen prefers the term hoshgoru (literally, “good view”) to “tolerance.” Conceptually, the former term indicates actions of the heart and the mind that include empathy, inquisitiveness, reflection, consideration of the dialog partner’s context, and respect for their positions. The term “tolerance” does not capture the notion of hoshgoru. Elsewhere, Gülen finds even the concept of hoshgoru insufficient, and employs terms with more depth in interfaith relations, such as respect and an appreciation of the positions of your dialog partner.

The Gülen Movement: Pioneers of interfaith dialogue

Clive Barrett *

The most populous Muslim presence in the UK has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, and the nature of Islam in Pakistan, especially, has coloured British understanding of and approaches to Islam. This is to ignore the diversity of Islam, not only theological, but also cultural and geographical.

Clashing Minorities, Converging Majorities: Toward a Coming Religious Peace

Jon Pahl, Ph.D.*

For scholars of religion and violence, the recent past poses a conundrum. Are civilizations clashing—as Samuel Huntington has provocatively posed, or cooperating, as Steven Pinker has recently contended? Pinker recognizes the apparently quixotic character of his argument on behalf of cooperation, and acknowledges that the 20th Century and first decade of the 21st were notable in a notorious way for World Wars, genocides, and the rise of terrorism (1). But Pinker also marshals impressive data on behalf of his claim that over the centuries, but especially in the past fifty years, developments in political organization, literacy, scientific and technological mastery, and social and economic cooperation have significantly improved the duration and quality of life for many human beings.

Quality Education in Developing Countries and Gulen Schools

Cemil Genç

Quality education is one of the most leveraged investments for catalyzing development, promoting global health and reducing poverty and universal education is one of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. Despite this, there are still hundreds of million children and young people not in school.

SJMC Crossing Culture Borders

Jennifer Mercado

Chief Rabbi Ishak Haleva receives a gift
from Bill Casey, publisher of the Daily Iowan
and David Perlmutter, SJMC director,
during a visit by an Iowa delegation to Turkey.

A small group of University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) faculty opened a line of dialogue with educators and professionals during a trip to Turkey last month.

Hosted by the Niagara Foundation, a handful of SJMC faculty and eastern Iowa-area professionals travelled to Turkey June 15-24 to learn about the country and experience its culture.

“We ran out of adjectives to describe and superlatives to praise what we saw,” said David Perlmutter, SJMC director, of his experience on the trip.

Kimse Yok Mu presents gifts to 8,000 children in Diyarbakır

Turkish humanitarian aid organization Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) has delivered gifts to 8,000 children from poor families in the province of Diyarbakır to help them enjoy Eid al-Fitr, the three-day religious festival that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Turkish school opens in Kigali

Stevenson Mugisha

The premises of Hope Kids Academy
The New Times / Timothy Kisambira.

Hope Kids Academy, an international Turkish school, has opened its branch in the country under a Rwandan-Turkish framework.

The school is located in Nyarutarama, Gasabo District.

Bağış urges journalists at iftar to contribute to Kimse Yok Mu

Turkish EU Affairs Minister Egemen Bağış, who shared an iftar (fast-breaking) dinner with veteran journalists in İstanbul's Beyazıt district on Wednesday, used the opportunity to urge the journalists to make a donation to Turkish charitable foundation Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There).

American Turkish Friendship Association organizes Iftar Tent in DC area

American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) organizes Iftar Tent in Fairfax which will welcome everyone for dinner. The tent is open for three days beginning with August 9th. Iftar Tent will feature delicious Turkish food and entertainment for guests. ATFA is a non-profit non-governmental organization with no political affiliation dedicated to addressing the social and cultural needs of Turkish and Americans living in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area. The organization was established by followers of Gulen movement which advocates friendship, tolerance and intercultural dialogue.

Published on fethullah-gulen.net, 16 August 2012, Thursday

Basic Characteristics of the Gulen Movement

Hizmet (Gulen movement) is a transnational civil society movement calling up everyone to collaborate around a common ideal of good work for humanity. The movement aims to facilitate an environment in which all can work together in a pluralist, peaceful, all-embracing spirit and voluntary altruism, regardless of subscription to a certain faith.

Fethullah Gulen and the Concept of Responsibility

Dr. Simon Robinson *

Responsibility is a key concept in philosophy and theology, and also in practice, not least in business and the management of the environment. It is a concept at the heart of the writings of Fethullah Gülen.

“Der Spiegel” does not reflect the truth

İsmail Kul

One cannot help but remember the joke about Nasreddin Hodja after reading the article about the Hizmet Movement that appeared in the current issue of Der Spiegel. The story is as follows:

The ‘Community' story Der Spiegel ignorantly published

Ekrem Dumanlı

Certain circles who cannot achieve their ends with forged stories in Turkey continue with their black propaganda using the newspapers and journals abroad. They made US newspaper and journals publish many fake stories. Now they try the same with Germany. A German journal compiled a news story by picking up the views which were denied or found to be false. It seeks to present the “Community,” or the Hizmet movement, as a secret order to instill fears in German society. However, those who live abroad know well that the Community always favors dialogue and pays respect to the social order of respective countries. Moreover, those who read the sentences quoted from the people who are presented as members of the Community can easily understand the conspiracy.

A Mafia that opposes Alcohol, Violence and Firearms

Mahmut Çebi

I once listened to Mehmet Firinci, a student of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, recount the following story: “Bediuzzaman was about 75 years old when a group came to visit him. They were speaking of retaliating with violence against all the oppression they were facing. Bediuzzaman was listening to them while he was sitting on the ground. He became very outraged by what he heard, and all of a sudden he jumped as high as one meter off the ground despite his old age. He then stood up and pushed them away, saying “No to violence, no to violence.” In a similar vein, Mr. Fethullah Gülen made his position very clear against all kinds of violence and terror, be it from the al-Qaeda or PKK. His famous motto “A Muslim cannot be a terrorist, a terrorist cannot be a Muslim” has been ingrained firmly in the minds of many.

President of Republic of Benin praises Gulen-inspired schools

President of Republic of Benin Dr. Thomas Yayi Boni expressed his appreciation for the work of Gulen-inspired schools that opened in his country. He said, “It is impossible to neglect such issues as healthcare and education. These schools are strengthening our historic and cultural ties. We look forward to making strategic cooperation with them”. Dr. Boni visited Turkey as part of his work trip organized by TUSKON (the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists) during which he discussed political, economic and business ties between Turkey and the Republic of Benin.

English translation retrieved from fethullah-gulen.net, 11 August 2012, Saturday
Original article [in Turkish] published on Zaman, 10 July 2012, Monday

Turkish Relief Organization Receives "Outstanding Service Medal" in Somalia

A Turkish relief organization, "Kimse Yok Mu", received "Outstanding Service Medal" for its welfare activities in Somalia.

According to a statement released from the charity, Orhan Erdogan, the Somalia representative of the "Kimse Yok Mu", received the award from Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on Friday.

Lies in the “Research” by Der Spiegel

Mahmut Çebi

Fethullah Gülen has so far been designated with numerous titles: Islamist, pro-Christian, pro-sharia, pro-Vatican, pro-ummah, pro-Turan (Turkish ethnic nationalist), pro-American, pro-Israel, Calvinist, etc. Those who never listened to him or read his books have attacked him with as many defamations as they wished. But these decades-long groundless attacks have never been enough to blow off even a tiniest piece from this giant rock.

A failed fairy tale of a poor imprisoned German-Turk

İhsan Yılmaz

I could not resist the temptation to make fun of the poor, “imprisoned” young German-Turk, whose fictitious name is Serkan Öz, to whom Der Spiegel has spoken. He does not want to give his real name saying that he is fearful of the Hizmet movement. So, we can never know if such a person exists or if he is a figment of the imagination. Anyway, let us assume that such a person exists and talk about his claims.

Religious leaders, politicians have iftar in Nigerian capital

The Ufuk Dialogue Foundation hosted a Dialogue and Peace İftar Dinner last week in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

The event was attended by Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwanbo, Nigerian Information Minister Labaran Maku, Finance Minister Yerima Ngama, Abuja's Roman Catholic Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Anglican Archbishop Nicholas Okoh and senators, deputies and ambassadors from Canada, Ethiopia, Mali, Cameroon, Indonesia and Palestine.

Der Spiegel’s recent strange attack on the Hizmet (Gulen) Movement

İhsan Yılmaz

Der Spiegel has published a piece about the Hizmet (Gülen) movement. Unfortunately, the piece does not look like a work of journalism.

Nigerian refugees in Chad struggle for life

Cihan News Agency visits a refugee camp of Nigerians immersed in poverty located in Abeche (Abeşe), the second largest city near Chad’s Sudan border.

Majority of whom are women and children, resident of the camp are trying to survive under hard conditions in camp.

Ceaseless assistance delivered to 90,000 Arakan people

KYM's aid team continues uninterrupted relief efforts at the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. Aid has reached more than 90,000 Arakan Muslims who left their homes and are living in refugee camps in unhealthy conditions.

Ozer: There are few people like Fethullah Gulen

Fatih Vural

Sami Özer

In a recent interview with Sunday’s Zaman, musician Sami Özer spoke about his new album and illustrious career. Özer also shared his memories of a visit to Fethullah Gülen in 2007, and an encounter with singer Ahmet Kaya:

Gülen Movement and the public space

fgulen.org

How successful is the Gülen Movement in changing public attitudes?

To date the Gülen Movement has achieved some significant results in changing public attitudes. Through educational initiatives, new media organs and networks, opposition to violent and coercive means and methods, intercultural and interfaith dialogue, and co-operation on projects and services, the Gülen Movement has succeeded in producing new projects and services that reveal the social and political nature of the definitions previously imposed by the dominant interest groups and their apparatuses.

Universal Schooling and Gulen Inspired Schools

Cemil Genç

Although universal schooling has been adopted as a goal by international organizations, bilateral aid agencies, national governments, and non-profit organizations, little sustained international attention has been devoted to the purposes or goals of universal education. What is universal primary and secondary education intended to accomplish?

Turkish Aid Agency Kimse Yok Mu Reaches out to Kosovo, Albania Muslims

A Turkish charitable agency “Kimse Yok Mu” has sent aid packages, including food items, to strife torn Kosovo region in Balkans. Many Muslims in Albanian majority areas who suffered in long drawn ethnic conflict in the region are still needy and deserving and often international agencies have been offering help to them.

GYV gathers politicians, diplomats at iftar dinner in Turkish capital

Many distinguished figures, including Cabinet members, politicians, diplomats, businessmen and journalists, came together at an iftar (fast-breaking dinner) table on Thursday night in an event held by the Ankara branch of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) at Ankara's Congresium hall.