The President of Bülbülzade Vakfı, Turgay Aldemir, met with regional NGO representatives at Zade Life Otel. Aldemir called for civil society to move beyond a charity-focused structure and transform into a strategic mindset that “sustains people and ideas.”
As Bülbülzade Vakfı, we came together in the Zeugma Hall of Zade Life Otel with nearly 60 NGO representatives, academics, educators, and religious officials from Birecik, Nizip, and Halfeti. During the meeting, we discussed a civil society perspective that reads the spirit of the times and demonstrates a founding will rather than merely reacting. Our Chairman of the Board, Turgay Aldemir, warned that in this period when history seems to be repeating itself, Muslims must now move beyond “low-profile minds trying to dismantle enemy strategies” and activate “a greater strategic intellect.” In this gathering, where we discussed not only today but also tomorrow and the fate of our geography, we emphasized that civil society must now go beyond traditional reflexes and enter a new process of construction that is strategic, inclusive, and prioritizes “intellectual security.”
WE ARE CONCERNED WITH SUSTAINING HUMANITY
In his speech, Aldemir criticized existing habits in civil society work and underlined the need to move beyond signboard nationalism. Instead of going somewhere and putting up a sign saying “we are here too,” he stated that if there are already people working there, we should adopt the principle of empowering them. Reminding that our organizations exist from Brussels to Africa, Aldemir said, “Our concern is not to enlarge our name, but to sustain people,” emphasizing that states which lose their people are doomed to collapse.
WE MUST PROTECT IDEAS MORE THAN BORDERS
One of the most resonant themes in Aldemir’s speech was “intellectual security.” He stressed that while our country has made significant progress in border security, the real danger lies in sieges targeting minds. Saying, “Border security is important, but intellectual security is even more important than border security,” Aldemir noted that if we fail to produce solutions to the intellectual turbulences around us with our own civilizational codes, others will fill this void with their own minds and alienate our people from their own geography.
DIVERSITY IS OUR WEALTH
Stating that our perspective toward differences and the “other” must also change, Aldemir expressed that the intellect of a single group or foundation is not sufficient and that we are in need of one another’s wisdom. He said that while everyone preserves their own institutional identity, each should become a “school” for the other, and that this diversity can turn into great richness. Recalling the words of İmam-ı Gazali, “There are as many paths to God as the number of people He has created,” he invited a complementary approach instead of harsh debates.
ALEPPO AKM OPENS ON MARCH 5
Referring to our work just across the border, Aldemir announced that a historic building restored in Aleppo will open as the Anadolu Cultural Center on March 5. He stated that this venue, originally built by an Ottoman Pasha, will today become a meeting point for Kurds, Turks, Arabs, Armenians, and Syriacs alike, and drew attention to the humanitarian and conscientious dimension of our presence in the region with the question, “If we do not go, who will?”
The meeting concluded in a sincere atmosphere where participants shared their views and suggestions, strengthening common wisdom and the law of brotherhood regarding the future of the region.
