Social Justice

The pursuit of social justice is one of the Platform’s goals and one of Mr. Gülen’s foundational teachings. Peace, freedom of expression and religion, tolerance, and equal opportunity, are the values we work to promote through service, education, and dialogue. We believe that these issues touch us all, no matter where we are in the world, and hope to facilitate a dialogue around them in order to better understand the challenges we face in societies today.

Empowering Women

We embrace equal rights for women and men as expressed in The UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Convention defines discrimination against women in the following terms:
“Any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.”
It is important that women have a powerful voice in the ongoing dialogue about the future of our communities. That is why we support women’s education throughout the world and condemn their subjugation.

Peace

Peaceful and harmonious coexistence is the ultimate ideal that unites all of humanity. In an increasingly globalised society, it is important to shift the discourse away from the things that divide, and instead focusing on our shared goal of peace and combating the prejudices that breed fear and violence.
Gulen has also consistently condemned the use of violence in religious rhetoric, and employing political, ideological, and religious reasons to justify acts of terror.
Mr. Gülen emerged as a voice of hope to communities in Turkey at a time of political and cultural conflict. It is in this tumultuous environment that his advocacy began to inspire individuals to uplift their communities through positive action as opposed to targeting others who subscribe to various ideologies. Today, the Platform partner organisations strive to promote peace and harmonious coexistence throughout the United States through charitable works and by creating opportunities for meaningful interactions among fellow humans.
Serving fellow humans without personal benefit is an expression of the love of humanity. Charitable work should be done without prejudice or preference, to benefit the global community and humanity.
“The person of the heart, despite his or her own physical and material needs or poverty, is a keen volunteer and altruist, and always occupied and preoccupied with planning the happiness of the people around him. He is always developing, for the community he lives in, the projects of peace, prosperity and welfare, like the beautifully expanding patterns of an embroidery. In the face of the sufferings and miseries experienced by his community and the whole of mankind, with a heart similar to one of God’s messengers, he endures palpitations, exasperations and pangs of conscience.” (F. Gülen, Statue of Our Souls, Chapter 12).

Equal Opportunity

Every individual is equal in dignity and rights, and should have the opportunity to realize their full potential. We work with organisations that strive to empower the underprivileged by providing access to the tools they need to succeed. Whether in education, economic assistance, or care, we strive to create environments where everyone is able to make a difference.
We believe that, in particular, equal access to education is the most important factor in the success of an individual and of a community. The role of education in society is integral to improving the lives of individuals in underserved communities.

Freedom of Speech, Press and Religion

We share the following statement which was prepared by Alliance for Shared Values based on a workshop of social scientists and journalists who analysed the prevalent views among Hizmet participants on these topics based on their observations and available literature.

• Freedom of speech, one of the fundamental rights in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is indispensable.
• Acceptance of freedom of speech within international norms encompasses marginal and radical thoughts that are expressed within those norms.
• Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are core tenets of a working democracy.
• All restrictive practices limiting freedom of the press including political repression, self-censorship, social and employer pressures are contradictory to democracy and cannot be accepted.

Education

Education is the antidote against ignorance and it is the most effective tool for empowering individuals, building cultural awareness, and positively impacting society for generations to come.
We should teach our children the importance of character and respect so that they grow to become contributing members of their societies.
A balanced education should foster common core values, including multicultural understanding, character development and social responsibility. These values equip students with the tools to use their knowledge for the common good.

Freedom of Conscience and Religion

• Everyone has the right to freedom of religion and conscience. This right includes the freedom to change one’s religion or belief, to worship individually or collectively, and to express one’s beliefs through teaching or practising.
• Representatives and followers of all minority and majority religious groups should have the freedom to make peaceful demands out of religious needs. These demands should be addressed or attended within the framework of democratic principles and universal human rights and freedoms.