EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Niagara Foundation publicly recognizes individuals and organizations who have distinguished themselves in their profession and contributed their time, energy, leadership, and dedication to the cause of dialog, peace, understanding, education and community service.
Date
Friday
May 4th, 2012
Time
6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Address
Edgewater Hotel
666 Wisconsin Avenue
Madison, WI 53703
Neptune Hall
NIAGARA PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD
Noble Wray
Chief of Police, Madison, WI
NIAGARA MEDIA AWARD
Jean Feraca
Broadcast Journalist, Wisconsin Public Radio
NIAGARA COMMITMENT AWARD
Kaleem Caire
President & CEO, Urban League of Greater Madison
NIAGARA COMMUNITY AWARD
Mary Rouse
Community Outreach Liaison
EVENT EMCEE
John Stofflet
Anchor, NBC15
Fethullah Gulen
Turkish Muslim scholar, thinker, and poet
M. Fethullah Gulen was born in the small village of Korucuk, in Erzurum Province, Eastern Turkey, in November 1938. Known by his simple and austere life style, Mr. Gulen has been from his earliest years a gifted Islamic scholar and thinker, and a creative writer and poet. His father taught him Arabic, and initiated in him his profound love of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his Companions. Later he continued his studies under the guidance of some of the most prominent Islamic scholars in Eastern Turkey. He received further training in the religious sciences.
Mr. Gulen, so distinguished himself that he was asked to begin teaching when he was only fifteen. He did so while continuing his studies in the religious sciences. Blessed with extraordinary oratory skills, even at young age, Gulen was recognized as one of the more accomplished Islamic preachers in the early 1950s, mentioned in the same breath with some of the more learned scholars, many years his senior, in Eastern Anatolia. Gulen devoted his life trying to solve society’s ills and spiritual sufferings, and inspired the establishment of many charitable organizations to serve the welfare of the underprivileged. He published a number of well-known books, most of which remain on the best seller list in Turkey, and have also been translated into English. These include The Infinite Light, Questions, Towards the Lost Paradise, and Truth through Colors. At a time when humanity is in a desperate need of leaders and role models, we find a true innovator and an inspirational leader as well as a deeply good man in M. Fethullah Gulen.
When he retired from formal teaching studies in 1980 he had inspired a whole generation of young students, many of whom are leaders in their communities today and of course, Niagara Foundation itself, especially they are the purpose of this evening, all based upon the work of this man
