[Bilimsel Haber] Conf: Fethullah Gülen's Initiatives for Peace in the Contemporary World, 23-24 November 2007, the Netherlands

[Onur Inal]

International Conference on Peaceful Coexistence
Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands

23-24 November 2007

Fethullah Gülen's initiatives for peace in the contemporary world

- Call for Papers -

Deadline for receipt of Abstracts: 31 May 2007

The need for peaceful co-existence between Muslims and non-Muslims
within and between nations has long been recognized. The much publicized
failures in relations in recent years, which are both a cause and effect
of the situation in many parts of the world - not just the Middle East -
should spur all right-minded people to re-double their efforts to
sustain the hope for peaceful co-existence.

Fethullah Gülen is an Islamic scholar and peace activist, and the mentor
of a dynamic faith-based movement that has inspired a generation of
Muslims in Turkey and abroad to undertake charitable works, especially
in education. After thirty years of activism in the field they now
constitute one of the most effective and influential Muslim faith-based
movements of the 21st century. They work to raise moral and religious
awareness by founding non-denominational schools and universities and so
encourage intercultural dialogue and understanding. Their work makes a
practical contribution to constructive, positive relations between the
West and the Muslim world, with special focus on issues such as
democracy, multiculturalism, globalization, and intercultural dialogue
in the context of secular modernity.

By focussing on Gülen's ideas and practice, this Conference aims to
explore the appeal and impact of the Gülen movement's worldwide
initiatives to help people respond creatively to the profound social
changes that are taking root everywhere. These changes make the world an
increasingly integrated place, while its people juggle different, often
divided identities. A particular focus will be the movement's
long-established and ongoing projects dedicated to improving North-South
and East-West relations, and to building trust and cooperativeness among
people of different faith traditions.

Major themes:
1. Peaceful Muslim-non-Muslim co-existence in a secular context
2. Inclusiveness and integration
3. The necessity and importance of dialogue
4. The positive role of non-denominational education
5. The state of East-West, North-South relations
6. Reconciling and balancing reason and faith
7. Understanding the benefits of democracy
8. The role of shared values in building civility and citizenship
Abstract & CV deadline:

Abstracts (max. 500 words) with a brief CV (max. 200 words) of the
author(s) should be submitted by 31 May 2007 to
<submissions at gulenconference.nl>.
Graduate students are encouraged to submit abstracts.

Paper submission deadline:
Abstracts will be evaluated by the Conference's editorial board. The
authors of accepted abstracts will then be asked to submit papers
(3000-7000) words before 30 September 2007.

Conference book:
Following editorial review, some of the accepted papers will be
published in the form of a book of the Conference proceedings.

Honorarium:
Euro 500 for papers presented at the conference

Free resource CD:
A free resource CD on Gülen and his works is available from the
organizing committee. Please apply to: <cd at gulenconference.nl>

Hotel and travel/flight:
The cost of hotel accommodation and flights will be subsidised for all
participants who present papers at the Conference

For further information please e-mail: <info at gulenconference.nl>
or visit:
www.gulenconference.nl