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Turkey: The Cradle of Civilizations
Philadelphia Dialog
Forum is
organizing a
series of interfaith trips to Turkey in an
effort to
share the cultural richness of this beautiful country with the
community we serve.
In man's history on
earth, certain
places
have been the grounds for close contact among
different cultures,
civilizations and religions. Anatolia with its proximity to
Europe and
the Middle East has certainly been
one of these places. Anatolia,
where Modern Turkey is now located has been the location of
numerous
encounters between
East and West. Anatolia
is the land where epics of Homer took place,
Alexander the Great met
the Persians, later Romans and Persians fought over supremacy, and
where Ottomans emerged. All these movements of people and civilizations
undoubtedly left their landmarks with their places of worship,
fountains, hostels, bridges and other works of art. It is a
testimony
to Turkish nations' openness, welcoming to religious diversity that it
was during the reign of Suleiman The Magnificent,
Jews were given
asylum after their persecution in Spain in 16th century and even today Greek
Orthodox Church has its center in Istanbul rather than in Greece.
By hosting American intellectuals on
a trip
to Turkey,
we, members of the
Philadelphia Dialog Forum, hope to build bridges
of
understanding and tolerance between diverse
cultures and faiths.
Participants will have the opportunity to
experience the beauty of Turkey
through its rich cultural and religious history. They will also
meet
with some of Turkey's
community leaders and citizens to experience its unique culture
and
world famous hospitality.
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If
you would like to hear more about our future activities please click
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Places
visited: Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Cappadocia, Kayseri and Konya
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Ankara
   
Istanbul
   
Izmir
   
Cappadocia
   
Kayseri
   
Konya
   
Testimonials
This trip is a valuable experience for anyone who is interested in establishing bridges of understanding, acceptance and trust between communities. The trip is an excellent forum for promoting professional and personal dialogue between diverse cultural and faith based communities, especially those who share like values and who invite natural understanding.
Susan Hutchins
Lutheran Theological Seminary
This trip was an exceptionally planned trip that brought me closer to the people and history of Turkey. The sights selected to visit were well chosen and extremely well coordinated.
Leonard G. Soroka
Dean, School of Education, Holy Family University
I enjoyed everything in the trip, and benefited from the exceptional hospitality & generosity of the sponsors and hosts. Thank you for providing such an excellent opportunity to me, to learn about Turkey and the real Turkish people, and much more about Islam.
Vasiliki Limberis
Temple University
This was an incredible experience. While I appreciate the opportunity to see famous places – Topkapi, Blue Mosque- what I enjoyed more was the time with families.
Linda L. Lamwers
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, West Chester University
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