Organized in cooperation with the TURKEN Foundation, TÜRGEV, Ensar Foundation, and Ibn Haldun University, the Youth Bridges II Summer Program brought together 250 Muslim students from the United States, who visited Turkey in three separate groups.
03 August 2018
TURKEN Youth Bridges II Summer Program Concludes
Organized in cooperation with the TURKEN Foundation, TÜRGEV, Ensar Foundation, and Ibn Haldun University, the Youth Bridges II Summer Program brought together 250 Muslim students from the United States, who visited Turkey in three separate groups.
At three evening gatherings hosted at Sepetçiler Pavilion, we had the opportunity to meet and engage in conversations with the visiting students.
The programs were attended by TÜRGEV Chairperson Dr. Fatmanur Altun, Board Members Yasemin Solmaz Gür and Zeynep Feyza Eker, TÜRGEV General Manager Abdulkadir Çay, TURKEN Foundation Chairperson Behram Turan, TURKEN Secretary General Haluk Gani, and TURKEN Turkey Coordinator Taşkın Bumin Ayrancı.
In her address, Dr. Fatmanur Altun expressed her hope to build a bridge that brings together different geographies and cultures through the TURKEN Foundation:
“During your stay, you will have the chance to get to know Turkey closely. Through various trips, you will witness its natural, historical, and cultural beauty. In addition, by attending lectures at Ibn Haldun University, founded by TÜRGEV, you will gain preliminary insights into Turkey’s recent history, political structure, and culture.
We believe this program will allow you to see Turkey’s geographic beauty, cultural richness, and historical heritage firsthand. Our aim is to ensure this wealth is recognized and promoted globally. By building a bridge of friendship, we replace ill-intentioned perceptions that hinder understanding with genuine thoughts and feelings.
We believe that investing in girls’ education yields high social returns. By educating girls, we can bring women’s energy—long present in the Islamic world—into the public sphere, taking important steps toward the healthy development of future generations. This is not a challenge to social trends, but a response to a real social demand. Such efforts will support mechanisms that correct misconceptions about gender roles in the Islamic world, producing positive changes that will benefit society.
We know that raising women who will educate future generations, embody various virtues in family life, and assume leadership roles in the social arena is a great goal. TÜRGEV can be seen as a challenge to the modern world—an unparalleled NGO in the Islamic world, open to every form of support. Your heartfelt contribution will be the key to TÜRGEV’s success.”
The program, which included educational sessions, cultural excursions, and various activities, gave the visiting Muslim students an opportunity throughout July to explore Turkey’s rich historical and cultural fabric. In addition to Istanbul, they visited Ankara, Konya, and Cappadocia, among other significant destinations.
