Niagara Annual Board of Advisors Meeting

      
November 15, 2007

Niagara Foundation becomes an even greater resource to cultivate friendship, celebrate diversity, strengthen civic dialogue and society and deepen inter-cultural awareness and understanding among the many diverse ethnic and civil communities in the Greater Chicago Area by the driving force of its Board of Directors.

Board members attend an annual meeting and serve on the various committees based on interest and expertise. This year, Niagara Annual Board of Advisors meeting will be held at University Club of Chicago.

Date:
Thursday- November 15, 2007

Time:
2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Venue:
University Club of Chicago
8th Floor, AB Room

Niagara Board of Advisors

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One of the wonders of Turkey, Whirling Dervishes of Rumi are coming back to Chicago

      
October 28, 2007

Mesmerizing a seven-century old ritual,featuring beautiful costumes, hypnotic live music withflutes, strings and percussions.

The Whirling Dervishes is like being transported on a magic carpet ride, with the exotic music creating a sense of inner rapture.

Date:
October 28, Sunday

Time:
3:00 pm

Venue:
Raue Center for the Arts
26 North Williams Street
Crystal Lake, IL 60014

Tickets:
$20 per person

Tickets also can be purchased online at: www.rauecenter.org

BOX OFFICE TELEPHONE: 815-356-9212
BOX OFFICE FAX: 815-459-2965

Free child care will be provided at:

First Congregational Church
461 Pierson Street
Crystal Lake, IL 60014 USA
Reservations are required: 1-815-459-6010
www.fcc-cl.org

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Niagara Intercultural Friendship & Dialogue Dinner at the Illinois Executive Mansion

Date:
Wed-Oct 10 at 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Venue:
Executive Mansion
410 East Jackson
Springfield, IL 62701
Kindly RSVP by October 5th
to Mr. Kemal Oksuz at (312) 701 0072*103 or kemal@niagarafoundation.org

Host Comittee:

Chair:
Senator John Millner (R)

Members:
Senator Michael Noland (D),
Senator Matt Murphy (R),
Senator Carole Pankau (R),
Senator Randall Hultgren(R),
Senator Susan Garrett (D),
Rep. Fred Crespo (D),
Rep. Carolyn Krause (R),
Rep. Elaine NekritZ (D)

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2007 Aurora University – Niagara Foundation Iftar Dinner
Tuesday October 9, 2007

Theme:
A Celebration of Diversity and Dialogue

Place:

New England Congregational Church, 406 West Galena Blvd, Aurora, IL

Date:
Tuesday October 9, 2007

Open to Public. RSVP required!

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September 20 , 2007

Let us celebrate our diversity by enjoying diverse musical entertainments and meeting and mingling with other participants.

Niagara Foundation organizes annual dialogue dinners and meetings with people from a wide variety of ethnic traditions.

Ramadan is a month when the relationships within and outside the community are strengthened by fasting and breaking the fast. To reinforce the friendship, and dialog between diverse communities, we gather in the intercultural dinners during Ramadan with people from all walks of life of varied communities and faith groups to emphasize on the values such as mutual understanding, deep respect, love, and peace. This is such an event where people from different traditions express their thoughts and offer their friendships.

Date:

Thursday-September 20, 2007
6:30 to 9:00 pm

Keynote Speaker:
Martin E. Marty
Professor Emeritus, University of Chicago

Theme:
Cooperation of Civilizations: Chicago Experience

Venue:
University Club of Chicago
Cathedral Hall, 9th Floor
76 East Monroe Street Chicago, IL 60603

Preview Event Flyer

Program Agenda

Remarks

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Mt. Prospect Public Library welcomes
“RUMI: A Voice for Our Times” panel.

September 8 , 2007

Date:

Saturday - September 8, 2007
2:00 to 4:00 pm

Venue:
Mount Prospect Public Library
10 South Emerson Street
Mount Prospect, IL 60056

In commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the birth of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, Niagara Foundation convenes a panel featuring a reception, live Sufi music and reflections by scholars of Rumi and/or Islamic Mysticism on relevant aspects of Rumi's life.

Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi (1207—73) was a poet and a scholar, a Sufi mystic, a learned theologian, and a foe of false certitudes in constant search for the ineffable meaning of life. This meaning, he was convinced, could be found in the divine that dwells in every human being. But our humanity, Rumi believed, has become sadly alienated—it is like “the reed estranged from its bed”—and poetry's purpose is to remind us of what we have lost and to help us retrieve it. This kind of life-restoring poetry, along with the music and dancing that accompanies it, is the very opposite of religious dogma, and is opposed to all fundamentalisms. Its message is love and unity—a message received and celebrated by Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and secular humanists around the world today.

Come, come whoever you are.
Wanderer, idolater, worshipper of fire,
Come even though you have broken your vows a thousand times
Come, and come yet again.
Ours is not a caravan of despair.

2:00 – 2:30 pm
Welcoming & Reception

2:30 – 2:35 pm
Opening Remarks by Kemal Oksuz
Executive Director, Niagara Foundation

2:35 – 2:40 pm
Opening remarks by Irvana K Wilks
Mayor, Mt Prospect

2:40 – 2:45 pm
Welcoming speech by Marillyn Genther
Executive Director, MPPL

2:45 – 2:55 pm
Live Music

2:55 – 3:05 pm
A documentary movie on RUMI

3:05 – 3:30 pm
Keynote speech by Dr. Marcia Hermansen
Loyola University Chicago

3:30 – 3:45 pm
Q & A Session

3:45 – 3:50 pm
Closing Remarks

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2007 Annual Peace & Dialogue Awards
June 14 ^th , 2007

Place
University Club of Chicago
76 East Monroe Street Chicago, IL 60603

Time

5:00 pm  Reception - The Library - 8th Floor

6:00 pm  Dinner & Awards - Cathedrall Hall - 9th Floor

Our Honorees	Event Emcee	Recognitions
Honorary Chair	Co-Chairs	Patrons
Program Agenda	Invitation	Media Advisory

         
Niagara Foundation awards individuals and organizations who have contributed their time, energy, leadership, and dedication to the cause of dialog, peace, tolerance, community service and understanding here in Chicago.

The 5 ^th Friendship & Intercultural Tours to Turkey
May, June, July, August - 2007

Niagara Foundation organizes dialogue trips to Turkey as yet another means of building bridges and strengthening friendships between the East world and the West. Though hailing from different religious backgrounds, we find common ground through our travels in which we share the same dining table. Chicagoans are presented with the opportunity to network with new, and God willing, lifelong friends as a way of strengthening even further our commitment to a global ethic of dialogue and mutual understanding.

=>> click here for Abbreviated Itinerary

“Celebrating the "year of Rumi" as making his contributions more well known and appreciated for Chicagoans”

Time:
May 3, 2007
5:00 to 9:00 pm

Place:

University of Chicago Gleacher Center
450 North Cityfront Plaza Drive, 5th Floor

Chicago, IL 60611

The Event Flyer

Remarks

Survey Cards

Shots from the event (click on image to enlarge it)

In commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the birth of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, Niagara Foundation convenes a panel featuring a reception, traditional Ney music, and reflections by scholars of Rumi and/or Islamic Mysticism on relevant aspects of Rumi's life.

Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi (1207—73) was a poet and a scholar, a Sufi mystic, a learned theologian, and a foe of false certitudes in constant search for the ineffable meaning of life. This meaning, he was convinced, could be found in the divine that dwells in every human being. But our humanity, Rumi believed, has become sadly alienated—it is like “the reed estranged from its bed”—and poetry's purpose is to remind us of what we have lost and to help us retrieve it. This kind of life-restoring poetry, along with the music and dancing that accompanies it, is the very opposite of religious dogma, and is opposed to all fundamentalisms. Its message is love and unity—a message received and celebrated by Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and secular humanists around the world today.

Come, come whoever you are.
Wanderer, idolater, worshipper of fire,
Come even though you have broken your vows a thousand times
Come, and come yet again.
Ours is not a caravan of despair.

5:00 pm --- 5:45 pm
Reception

5:45 pm --- 6:10 pm
Opening Remarks by Kemal Oksuz, Executive Director of Niagara Foundation
Musical Performance by Talha Akbulut & Volkan Efe

6:10 pm --- 6:20 pm
A Documentary Movie on Rumi

6:20 pm --- 8:20 pm
Scholarly panel discussions on Rumi's life and work with:

• Franklin Lewis, University of Chicago
• Marcia Hermansen, Loyola University Chicago
• Zeki Saritoprak, John Carroll University

Moderator

• Scott Alexander, Catholic Theological Union

8:20 pm --- 8:30 pm
Announcements & Closing

Video from the event :

Time:

Thursday, February 15, 2007
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Place:

Simpson Multi-Purpose Room
Loyola University Chicago
Lake Shore Campus

A discussion led by Loyola students from 5 major faith traditions and various cultures. The goal of this forum is to represent the rich faith traditions and diverse cultures as they are lived out and celebrated here at university campus. In honor of Black History Month, forum will hold part of the discussion around African-American religious experience at Loyola.

The Event Flyer

Interfaith event brings together the many faces of LUC William Barrett The Simpson Multi-Purpose Room became a melting pot of cultural and religious discourse Thursday as six selected panelists recounted their interfaith experiences in front of a diverse assortment of approximately 100 Loyola students and faculty. Appropriately titled "From Jerusalem to Mecca to Calcutta to Chicago," the event incorporated both a discussion panel and a blend of culinary flavor, ranging from hummus to Turkish pudding. The dialogue provided an opportunity to learn about the customs of five major religious traditions through the perspectives of students representing their respective campus organizations. "A program like this celebrates what is unique about Loyola University of Chicago," Hillel director Patti Ray said. "Our faith traditions relish celebrating with each other, talking with each other and engaging with one another." Hillel is Loyola's campus organization for Jewish students. Along with the Muslim Students Association (MSA), the Hindu Students Organization (HSO), the Black Men's Initiative, University Ministry and the Society of Jesus, Thursday's festivities explored several mediums of interfaith communication in hopes of finding common ground. "Tonight symbolizes harmony and inter-religious, inter-cultural cooperation," office of student diversity program director Bena Mangattukattil said. "So many students have a hunger for this at Loyola. Student groups that represent populations in the world that usually fight one another are coming together to give us hope." The panel and food was sponsored by the Niagara Foundation and Exelon Corporation. President Michael Garanzini, S.J., initiated the program with the Niagara Foundation to celebrate the way different faith and cultural organizations interact. The Niagara Foundation is an interfaith chaplain group incorporating approximately 15 Chicago-area schools. The organization seeks to learn about interfaith environments across a variety of campuses. "At this time in the history of our planet I feel that we are living in the middle of a nightmare of truly horrific daily developments," Kemal Oksuz, the executive director of the foundation, said. "Because of this, tonight's event becomes more meaningful." The panelists each recognized a need for cooperation through reliving their interfaith experiences. "There are many areas in the world where religion is a source of conflict," University Ministry member, senior Catherine Hedgebeth, said. Hedgebeth, a theology major and 2006-07 Evoke Scholar, said "We need to understand each other so that religion can be prophetic in stopping those violent conflicts. We at Loyola are a microcosm of the peace and acceptance we want to see in the world." In the midst of busy class schedules and a fast-paced urban environment, stereotypes about religion and culture often predispose students to a closeminded outlook on faith. The intercultural mixture stirred together Thursday by representatives from the Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Catholic traditions along with the voices of the Jesuits and non-denominational Christianity, stressed the importance of avoiding such baseless assumptions. "[This event] shows how people from different countries can be from different religions," sophomore MSA member Khady Diagne said. Diagne is from Senegal, a country with a 98 percent Muslim population. Her experience at Loyola and with MSA, where the majority of the members are from Pakistan, has offered both the hardships and triumphs associated with being from a distant part of the world. "Even though I am black, people don't always know that I am Muslim," Diagne said. "Anybody can be [any religion] and these discussions let us break down stereotypes." By explaining the relationships between six different religious perspectives and formulating answers about unique traditions, collaboration can replace misunderstanding. "It is important for people to find out about their faith and learn about one another so they can both find common ground and their differences," Eric Styles, S.J., said. Religion is still a sensitive subject to many students and Thursday's discussion panel provided a chance to opnely transmit idea through individual expressions of faith. "[This] event brings us to a place that is safe and brings what we are hesitant to talk about to the forefront," Lisette Zaid, the president of Hillel said. "We can take a breath and exhale by gettin to know one and another."

Video from the event :

3^rdAnnual Dinner of Abrahamic Traditions

Time:
Saturday, January 6, 2007

Place:

Bristol Court Banquete Hall
828 East Rand Road

Mount Prospect, IL 60056

Theme:

Hajj at Abrahamic Traditions

The Event Flyer        Program Schedule Feedback

Niagara Foundation hosted the 3rd Annual Dinner of Abrahamic Traditions on Saturday, January 6th, 2007. Along with a delicious dinner, we listened to three wonderful speeches about hajj, or pilgrimage in the view of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Our speakers were Dr. Martin Forward of Aurora University, Dr. Marcia Hermansen of Loyola University, and Rabbi Daniel Sherbill from Northbrook Community Synagogue. First of all, Mrs. Ozgur Berberoglu, the director of Niagara Women Association officially opened the event pointing out that it is no coincidence that Hanukkah, Christmas and Eid ul Adha are at the same time. Reminding that our common father is Abraham, she called all of the participants at the end to find common values and similarities during the dinner such as honesty, compassion, integrity, love and respect. It is also reminded to all of the attendees that the year 2007 is designated as Rumi year by UNESCO and it is the first interfaith event of the year. Dr. Forward from Aurora University spoke about seeing men returning from hajj with orange hair, when he was just eight years old. He saw that those men had returned with love for both God, and others. Dr. Forward believes that all religions are a different creation of the one God. According to Dr. Forward, Jews, Christians and Muslims see Abraham as their common father. He also talked about the importance of pilgrimage and how it is developed by Abraham and his son Ishmael. He emphasized a long and tiring journey that pilgrims undertake to find their God to Jerusalem, Rome and Mecca. He also sadly put that some Muslims, Jews and Christians bring shame upon their religion by their exclusiveness, anger and hatred. He made the angle of dinner broader as he noted that people are not the only children of Abraham but also of Adam so that God’s compassion extends to and also beyond Jews, Christians and Muslims. In his lifetime, Dr. Forward has met people from all religions, and there were a few from each, who didn’t behave well. Believing that knowing everything is to know God and to travel with God. He also spent a period of his life working in an Islamic University in India. He spoke very highly of the people he encountered there. Dr. Forward’s final remarks were to go on hajj, means to go with all of God’s children. Dr. Marcia Hermansen, a professor of Theology at Loyola University Chicago spoke about hajj in the Islamic tradition. She emphasized Sufi readings on Hajj or pilgrimage and their stress on short human life and focus on human heart. She spoke of the story of the sacrifice, where Prophet Abraham was told to sacrifice his son, but was later told to sacrifice only an animal, and then leave his wife in the desert. However, she also complained about the way the story of Abraham was presented as it fails to confront the more complex dimensions. She also spoke about the garments that must be worn when making one’s hajj, ehram, and how everyone looks the same, and they all leave the worldly things behind. Prof. Hermansen then went on to talk about the completion of hajj and she talked about that the ‘sofra’ of Khalil Ibrahim when he invited 4 angels to his table and she stressed the symbolic meaning of today’s table with that of Abraham’s. At the end, she stated her excitement about the Rumi year. “With Niagara Foundation one is always ready to bring Rumi as an exemplifying symbol of tolerance and open-heartedness.” Rabbi Daniel Sherbill invited us all to embark on a new hajj, together, and he shared the Jewish and Christian tradition of the pilgrimage of Abraham. It was all about pilgrimage or transformation in time rather than a place which is a New Year. He then read a poem by King Solomon which narrates as so; “There was a young maiden that met and loved a shepherd with curly black hair. They agreed to meet each other. When the meeting time came he did not come. He was taken away to watch the vineyards. All of the people laughed and teased her, how foolish was she they would say. She gave up ever finding him. Then she prepared for the night, locking the door and took down her hair and put on some cream etc. Then he arrives to her door and knocks. She asks who it was and then he told her but she says I cannot open the door for I have prepared for the night. And he said he wanted to explain why he left and she still said no.” Rabbi finished his speech by saying that God is knocking on all of our doors, so we must seek him, and allow him into our hearts, and make a pilgrimage for God. The Moderator of the dinner went on explaining the meaning of the symbol standing behind him designed by Director of Art, Yasemin Uslu from Niagara Foundation so as to symbolizing Abrahamic dinner table and three Abrahamic traditions around it. Moderator called some participants randomly to say their final comments. Mount Prospect Mayor Irvana Wilks thanked organizers and said she is impatiently looking forward to the next one. “It is always amazing to me when I spend some time with our friends from Niagara Foundation. I always learn something about Turkish culture and traditions. I have been informed about Rumi and I very much appreciate this setting, all of you coming together, symbols of table and it is what pulls us together. I appreciate this organization and it is certainly part of our community.” Follow-up speakers also thanked Niagara Foundation for organizing such a wonderful event. They said they admire Niagara Foundation’s activities toward finding common goals and informing people about other Abrahamic traditions.

Shots from the event (click on image to enlarge it)

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