Interview: Journalists and Writers Foundation acts in Accordance with Turkey’s Interests

Zaman, Turkey
June 18 2004

The Journalists and Writers Foundation has celebrated its 10th
anniversary. The foundation, established in January 1994, by a group
of journalists and writers, including Fethullah Gülen, has realized
many national and international activities in accordance with its
mission, that is, to promote communal consensus and global peace.

The foundation, introducing itself with the tolerance awards it gives
to people from different sectors, under the framework of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Tolerance Year, has also started ‘dialogue iftars’ (evening meals
during Ramadan),’ that many civil and official institutions support.
At a time when nobody considered making dialogue with Jews and
Christians, the foundation took important steps in this regard. It
also backed world peace efforts. The Abant meetings are the most
conspicuous activities of the foundation. Apart from the Abant
Platform, that conducted its activities in Turkey for six years and
then expanded abroad, the Eurasia Dialogue Platform and Intercultural
Dialogue Platform are also organizations being closely watched by the
whole world. While the former is a meeting point of Eurasian
intellectuals, the latter focuses on intercultural dialogue.
Naturally, some questions arise about the foundation realizing
international activities with such great costs. We asked President
Harun Tokak about the foundation’s 10-year process:

You have carried out activities not seen in the branches of
Journalism and Authorship. Why such a choice?

Job institutions such as, the Journalists’ Association of Turkey
(TGC), dealing with job applications and the problems encountered on
that issue, is already in existence. We considered it unnecessary to
do the same thing. I say this here to explain what triggered us to
establish such a foundation, not meaning that we will not be tackling
the problems and the projects of the employees.

What was the deficiency in you opinion?

The journalists and authors are from the intellectual section of
society. To a certain extent, they present this intellectual
accumulation through the media. However, looking at the process the
world is going through, we see that what countries like us need is
not only thousands of years of accumulation, but also other factors
contributing to the process. The presentation of views by the media
was not enough for us. We felt that people with different views and
different beliefs reflect the richness of our country and should
unite physically. We wanted to stress the importance of talking face
to face and sharing the same places.

Have you reached your goals?

At the opening session of the foundation’s establishment, our
honorary President Fethullah Gülen said: “Turkey will not give up on
democracy,” and this remark gained unexpected publicity. This not
only showed the need for democracy in Turkey but also elucidated the
fact that religious sects do not consider democracy as a hurdle
before Islam. We need to recognize and embrace each other. On the
11th of February, 1995, during the iftar we gave at the Polat
Renaissance Hotel, people from different sects constitued a colorful
picture. On January 4, 1996, our foundation gave ‘Tolerance Awards’
on the occasion of the ‘Tolerance Year.’ The corroboration was such
that the whole Turkey was excited. For instance we organized a World
XI versus Turkey XI match to draw attention to the tragedy in
Bosnia-Herzegovina. The proceeds from that game were sent to three
Turkish schools in Bosnia. Children from Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia
are now being educated at these Turkish schools. We are sure that
these children will not make the mistakes their fathers made.

The foundation generates anti-theses against the clash of
civilizations and organizes meetings on civilization dialogues. Why
do you focus on these issues? Is it because you feel a possible clash
may also happen in Turkey?

Yes, during that period the study thesis was very intense. On one
hand there was the clash of civilizations thesis, and on the other
hand, the polarizations in Turkey. For this reason we organized the
first international meeting under the name, “From Clash of
Civilizations to Dialogue.” Both native and foreign, so many
scientists delivered messages of global peace and consensus. But the
main issue we focused on was the problems our country was
encountering. There were issues that would cause tension in Turkey as
our people took different sides in the Turk-Kurd, Alevi-Sunni,
secular-anti secular conflicts. Fortunately, these problems no longer
exist in that dimension. During those years, the differences between
cultures were exaggerated on purpose. This communal psychology made
the Abant meetings known publicly. The need to discuss our country’s
problems emerged. A great many people, from atheists to theologians,
from liberals to nationalists, participated in the first Abant
Meeting that was held in 1998. The meetings lasted for six years, and
this year it expanded abroad. The intitution’s founding president is
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Aydin, currently a state minister. Carrying the
meetings to the international level was proposed at the last Abant
Meeting. The Advisory Board then made a decision in accordance with
this proposal. We held the first meeting abroad in Washington, the
second will be held in Brussels in December, before Turkey gets a
[negotiation] date from the European Union (EU).

Your interregional activities have been widely supported by a
substantial part of the society. Why do you give so much importance
to these relations?

There may naturally be people criticizing, not appreciating and even
considering the activities not enough. The important point here is
that if we are to attain global peace, we should not overlook the
religion fact. If peace and consensus among religions are ensured,
international relations will also improve. We invited the Armenian
patriarch to our iftar dinner; now every year the esteemed Patriarch
Mesrob II invites Muslims to iftar meals himself. In 2000, we held
the “Forefather Abraham Symposium.” in Harran and representatives
from the three Abrahamic religions came together at this symposium.
These meetings are of paramount importance, since they also play a
lobby role in the EU. Even Mesrob went to the EU and drew attention
to the importance of Turkey being a member of the Union. Global peace
and Turkey’s interests are closely related with dialogue and
consensus among religions. Turkey wants to compete with the modern
world, but before that, it must structure the bridges between the
sects in society. Our ultimate goal is to make contributions so that
Turkey achieves its targets.

Many institutions, after a while, have supported some of your
activities. Now everybody gives iftar meals. What do you think about
this? Do you feel disturbed?

No, we certainly do not feel disturbed. Anyway, we do all these
things in order to make our culture known. This is our aim , and the
process shows that we are following a correct procedure. The dialogue
efforts should be supported. These activities should be more
widespread through conscientious efforts.

You have made Abant Platform known internationally by carrying it
abroad for the first time. Did the Abant meeting in Washington catch
up with the same level as that of Turkey?

World-renowned academicians, Esposito and Fukuyama took part in the
meetings. The academicians from the United States know Turkey and
Middle East very well and speak Turkish fluently. Apart from Kemal
Dervis, (former Turkish economy minister), the permanent Abant
participants came to the meeting on behalf of Turkey. I observed that
the culture of dialogue and consensus that we call ‘Abant Soil’ was
spreading in Washington.

Some commentators say the US hosted these meetings in order to
realize its dreams of a Greater Middle East Project. Did Washington
Abant serve the aims of the United States in the Middle East?

We never accept claims of this sort. Because by the time we made a
decision to hold the Washington Abant Meeting, there was no such
issue as the Greater Middle East Project. State Minister Mehmet Aydin
gave an important lecture at that meeting. Aydin, evaluating the
Greater Middle East Project, said more or less the following: “If
this a project to unify the Middle Eastern countries, the democracy
tree cannot be planted by force. Democracy will come to the Middle
East through will power.” I personally agree with Aydin on this
point. Another participant, Mithat Melen, said: “Turkish
intellectuals paid their own money to tell the Americans something.
Since the Americans and Europeans invited us, we went to talk.” This
comment is important as it explains the aim of the meeting. In all
our activities, the interests of our country and nation come first.
As an international organization, we have a say on the issue of the
Greater Middle East Project, and we are for the interests of Turkey.

You work on a line extending from the US to the Middle East and send
many people abroad. How can you finance these activities?

This is a question asked frequently. This was a topical issue
especially when the last Abant Meeting was held. Comments that we
were financed by a U.S.foundation and about our honorary President
Fethullah Gülen were made. It is true that we stage big
organizations, but our main financial support comes from the
sponsors. We find sponsors for all the organizations we make. The
official institutions also contribute sometimes. For example during
the tenure of esteemed Istemihan Talay, we received support from the
Culture Ministry. We have also applied to the present ministry, and
expect a reply from them. And about the incomes of our fund. We
organized the Washington Abant and Mardin meetings with our own
incomes. Anyway, the Anatolian people’s generosity saves you from
many expenses. This is our cultural richness. It is not true that we
pay the people we take there. These claims are false. For instance,
the journalists who send their news reports pay from their own
pockets. Besides, the university students of John Hopkins themselves
paid for the conference room. The total amount we paid for the
meetings was US$50,000. We could afford this through our foundation’s
incomes. In addition, the budget of the meeting held in Mardin was
US$100,000 in all. Apart from the sponsors’ assistance, we make up
the rest from the foundation’s incomes.

Fethullah Gulen is being talked about frequently. What is the
relation between Gulen and your foundation?

Our relations with Gulen is always a discussion issue. The esteemed
Gulen was among the founders in the early years. Then he became the
honorary president. All the relations with him are as such. We run
our work as platforms, as intercultural platforms, the Abant Platform
and the Dialogue Platforms. These platforms work independently.
Namely, the decision mechanism is not Gulen, but the board of
presidents. It decides on the time and place of the meetings. People
with different kinds of beliefs take part in the Advisory Board.

The foundation gives importance to unifying people from different
origins and different beliefs. Do the opposing views disturb you?

Let alone disturbing, they are good for us. This is the very positive
side of the meetings. Our aim is to make people of different beliefs
come together and talk. This was not possible 10 years ago, but today
it is considered natural and an ‘Abant Soil’ has come to Turkey.

It is interesting that different cultures come together and talk
about country issues. What is the reason that makes you reach a
consensus so easily?

Of course, consensus does not come easily. Many problems exist. For
example, in the first Abant meetings the debates were very tense.
People were even offended. Some of them even left the meetings, there
was a war of words. However, in the end we saw that it difficult to
be in the same atmosphere and maintain our differences, but it is not
impossible! We witnessed that every section can come around a table
and discuss at high intellectual level. The first Abants and the ones
that followed were different because of this. In my opinion, the
barriers between people collapsed. We have learned to live together.
All the enterprise and efforts are for the furtherance of our
country.

06.18.2004
ZAFER OZCAN