The Rector of BEUN, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, Secretary General Prof. Dr. Zehra Safi Öz, senate members, academic and administrative staff, and the Director of Youth Services at the Zonguldak Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports, Erhan Yavaş, attended the program held at Sezai Karakoç Cultural Center.
Rector Özölçer: “Wisdom of Mevlâna Rumi Has Guided Our Hearts for Centuries”
The program began with a moment of silence for our honorable martyrs and singing of the National Anthem. The Rector of BEUN, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, gave the opening speech. Recalling the recent passing of two university students in his speech, he said:
“The passing of our beloved student Arif Aykanat and our dear student İrem Gül Karakuş, who left us suddenly last night, has deeply saddened us. I commemorate both of our children with mercy. May God grant them paradise, and may He bestow patience upon their families, loved ones, and our University community.”
Continuing his speech with examples from the wisdom-filled words of Hz. Mevlânâ, Rector Özölçer emphasized that Mevlânâ’s understanding of Sufism—centered on love, tolerance, and submission—has remained a guiding light for centuries:
“‘There are many roads leading to God; I have chosen the path of love,’ says Mevlânâ Rumi. His fire of love continues to warm our hearts even after seven and a half centuries. Hearts parched by worldly life are revived by the drops of wisdom from the Masnavi. His words, ‘Our lodge is not a lodge of despair,’ embody the strongest expression of hope and spiritual insight.”
Emphasizing Mevlana Rumi’s understanding of challenge, patience, and submission, Rector Özölçer thanked Dr. Sait Başer, who contributed to the conference, and those who attended the event.
Following the opening speech, the speaker of the conference, Dr. Sait Başer, took the stage. Providing a deeper perspective on the Turkish Culture, Başer stated that a deep-rooted culture extending from Mevlana Rumi to Dede Korkut still keeps guiding us even today. Emphasizing the centrality of culture in Turkish-Islamic thought, he stated: “The word ‘Tanrı’ (God) cannot take a plural form; our culture does not allow it. Culture is the name of a nation’s accumulated experience shaped over centuries. Turkish culture does not recognize slavery; it is the product of a civilization built upon a sense of justice.” Highlighting that justice is not limited to legal structures but encompasses the entire balance of life, Başer noted the direct relationship between the deep structure of the Turkish language and this concept. Başer concluded his talk by commemorating Mevlânâ Rumi with respect, sharing examples from his words.
The program ended with the presentation of a certificate of appreciation to Dr. Sait Başer and a group photo session.
