A comprehensive consultation meeting was organized with the participation of organization members operating under the umbrella of Bülbülzade Foundation. Representatives of various units gathered at the foundation center, evaluated the projects implemented in the recent period, and shared their plans regarding future activities.
One of the main agenda items of the meeting was the Bülbülzade Foundation Charity Bazaar and Spring Festival, which was completed in recent days with intense participation and interest. During the meeting, all units made presentations about their activities, evaluating field reflections and the achievements obtained. Another important topic on which the units expressed a common opinion was the Summer Schools, which will open their doors next Monday. Organization members were informed about the preparation processes and curriculum details of the summer activities that will be organized under 23-24 different headings at more than 60 locations both domestically and abroad.
WHAT IS PLANTED IN THE HEART NEVER DISAPPEARS
Following the consultation meeting, Bülbülzade Foundation President Turgay Aldemir addressed the organization members and delivered an important speech on the humanitarian and intellectual dimensions of the work carried out under the foundation's umbrella. Emphasizing the themes of sacrifice, dedication, and winning hearts, Aldemir referred to the verses of Yunus Emre, saying: “We did not come for conflict / Our purpose is for love / The home of the beloved is hearts / We came to build hearts. This is the story of this foundation. How many hearts have we touched, how many hearts have we entered. What is planted in the heart never disappears.”
WE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARRY A MESSAGE
Underlining the need to be cautious against the trends of individualization and ordinariness observed in society recently, Aldemir stated that individuals who undertake social responsibility should carry meaning and direction, saying: “For some time now, there has been a tendency toward selfishness. I will now become like ordinary people. I will eat, drink, travel, and share on social media. There is such an ordinariness. This is simplification and vulgarization. Dear friends, whether you are Muslim or not, if you aspire to a social duty, it means you have a message. If you have no message, your body and existence have no value. We are people who carry a message.”
SUCCESS HAS BOTH A REWARD AND A TEST
Emphasizing the unexpected turns of life and the importance of living without postponing time, Turgay Aldemir gave examples from the approaches of Ibn Khaldun and Mustafa Özel. Stating that people build their own character through what they do or fail to do in life, Aldemir argued that a renewal of mentality is needed. Pointing out that successes should not stop a person, he said: “If there is success, it has both a reward and a test. Success is like the landing of a staircase in an apartment building. If we sit there and explain how we climbed that floor, we remain there. At present, there is an incredible field of work before us in Türkiye and throughout the Islamic world,” emphasizing that greater importance should be given to intellectual efforts on a global scale.
LET US ELEVATE OUR ACTIONS, NOT OUR VOICES
Stating that curriculum studies and international collaborations occupy an important place in the foundation’s future vision, Aldemir touched upon the work being carried out in fundamental areas such as children, family, and university. Drawing attention to three basic principles in foundation activities, Aldemir listed them as “intention, capability, and effort.” Referring to Ibn Khaldun’s concept of the “active intellect,” he stated: “Those who rescue nations from the constraints into which history has fallen are a small number of people possessing active intellect. They are those who unite reason with action and action with wisdom. In this period, our main task is not to raise our voices but to raise our actions.”
WITNESS THE EFFORT OF A NEW GENERATION
At the end of the meeting, Bülbülzade Foundation President Turgay Aldemir thanked all organization members who had worked with great dedication over the past year and called on all units to support and take ownership of the Summer Schools organization that will begin next week. In his closing remarks, Aldemir said: “My special request to you, friends, is this: the summer schools and summer activities will take place under approximately 23-24 headings at more than 60 locations, both domestically and abroad. Take part in them. This is not a task carried out by a group of educators alone. Support it, embrace it, trust it, see it, participate in it. Let us witness the efforts of a new generation, those lively children striving for the future.”
