May 2025, Brussels
On May 26, Intercultural Dialogue Platform hosted Prof Vincent Parillo – an award-winning author, documentary producer, screenwriter, and visiting professor at several universities – for an engaging roundtable discussion. Raised in Paterson, New Jersey, a city known for its cultural diversity, Mr. Parillo has long been interested in how different communities coexist and interact. His book Hearts and Minds: Hizmet Schools and Interethnic Relations explores the role of Hizmet schools in fostering interethnic and interfaith harmony across various countries, based on interviews with students, parents, and educators.
Speaking to an audience of students and young professionals, Mr. Parillo began by outlining the methodology of his research. Grounded in Strauss’s negotiated order theory, his work is based on the idea that people shape meaning through social interaction and achieve shared goals via structured organizations. In this context, Hizmet schools function not merely as institutions of academic learning but as environments where character development and ethical leadership are actively cultivated.
Mr. Parillo made a clear distinction between the roles of a teacher and an educator. While a teacher may focus on delivering academic content, an educator embodies the values they wish to impart, acting as a role model for students. In Hizmet schools, he observed that educators play a central role in shaping the students’ moral and intellectual growth by practising what they teach. This consistency between principle and practice allows students to internalise values like empathy, responsibility, and cooperation.
He shared several examples from his fieldwork, including a story about a student who had initially faced exclusion from his peers. Thanks to the timely and sensitive intervention of teachers, the situation was transformed into a positive experience, with the student eventually forming strong friendships. Mr. Parillo emphasised the importance of teachers’ and administrators’ proactive engagement in resolving conflicts and fostering a school climate that promotes dialogue and inclusivity.
Another feature of Hizmet schools that left a strong impression on Mr. Parillo was their emphasis on STEM education. He noted that many students from these schools excel in science and technology, often earning awards in national and international competitions. This success, he explained, stems from a curriculum that values innovation and scientific inquiry.
Finally, Mr. Parillo highlighted the inclusive and pluralistic approach to religion in Hizmet schools. Rather than being a source of division, religion is presented as a means of mutual enrichment. This perspective, he argued, helps build bridges between different communities, fostering respect and cooperation across ethnic and religious lines.
After his speech, he answered questions from the audience. The roundtable concluded with a group photo.
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