Rumi Forum being dragged into Gulen controversy

ISLAMABAD: The President of Rumi Forum, Suat Erguvan, says they are being dragged into Gulen controversy unnecessarily as they have nothing to do with the politics and the forum is purely established for academic and intercultural dialogue.

Talking to The News, Erguvan said with reference to a number of news items appearing in the national vernacular and English media across Pakistan for the last couple of days, as Rumi Forum, we unfortunately have been witnessing biased and unverified reporting that claims to place the Forum in a discussion that it does not belong.

The Rumi Forum is an intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence platform for academic and cultural exchange in Pakistan since 2006. The office bearers of the Forum are Turkish and Pakistani nationals and professionals, all of whom are residents of Pakistan. The Rumi Forum is funded locally and in an apolitical manner. It is completely non-partisan and committed to the promotion of universal human values such as respect, reconciliation, coexistence and acceptance through its activities.

The Forum cooperates similar local and international civil organisations and works closely and transparently with them while staying within the boundaries of its constitution.

The Forum organises in-house and external activities such as seminars, conferences, afternoon talks on various mainstream academic, historical and intercultural themes, Rumi talks on the life and works of 'Mevlana' Jalaluddin Rumi--13th century Muslim scholar, luminary and Sufi-- Masnavi Reading Circles, round table discussions, poetry and prose recitals (mushaira and sham-e-afsana), exhibitions, public lectures and the like.

We believe that constructive communication and interaction is one of the major remedies to overcome common ills arising from misunderstanding. That is why we endeavour to establish suitable environments for constructive interaction and peaceful coexistence in Pakistan to enable all participants to appreciate diverse opinions and eliminate all stereotypes.

Therefore, the Rumi Forum upholds being the part of solutions instead of being the part of or subject to any problem of any kind. We unconditionally reject all types of biased information that has been printed and circulated in various media without soliciting the Rumi Forum's opinion and stance. He said the Rumi Forum requests the amendments to the aforementioned biases in media and expresses that the Forum may state its stance whenever necessary.