The opening ceremony of the “From Shadow to Light” Project was held through the collaboration of Üsküdar University and the Federation of Kastamonu Associations (KASDERFED), with the support of the Directorate General for Relations with Civil Society of the Ministry of Interior and under the auspices of the Governorship of Istanbul. The project, which aims to reintegrate youth who remain in the shadows into society, attracted significant interest. Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, President of Üsküdar University, delivered a conference titled “Effective Communication Techniques with Youth” as part of the program. Prof. Tarhan described the initiative as a project of self-transcendence and offered golden advice to the young audience.
The opening event took place at the Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall on Üsküdar University’s Main Campus. Among the participants were Deputy Governor of Istanbul M. Asım Alkan, Member of Parliament for Istanbul Hulusi Şentürk, President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Assembly Member İshak Koçoğlu, President of the Foundation of Knowledge and Virtue Mahmut Ekşi, President of KASDERFED Fatma Kıranoğlu, and Social Contribution Coordinator of Üsküdar University Asst. Prof. Nebiye Yaşar, along with students, representatives from public institutions, and leaders of various civil society organizations.
Opening speeches were delivered respectively by Mustafa Asım Alkan, Hulusi Şentürk, İshak Koçoğlu, Mahmut Ekşi, Fatma Kıranoğlu, and Asst. Prof. Nebiye Yaşar.
Mustafa Asım Alkan: “A culture of planned work must be instilled in our youth”
In his opening remarks, Deputy Governor of Istanbul Mustafa Asım Alkan emphasized project development and the importance of a culture of planning. Alkan stated, “I believe this project is very valuable, because the future of a nation is its youth. As Atatürk said, ‘We founded the Republic, and it is you who will sustain it.’ A common trait among developed countries is that they provide their youth with good education and equip them mentally, physically, and spiritually. We must educate our youth not only in academics but also in areas such as art, entrepreneurship, and social skills. It is essential that young people are raised as visionary individuals who can dream and work in teams. In this regard, the dream that Selçuk Bayraktar envisioned years ago and managed to realize is a significant example. A culture of project development and planned work must absolutely be instilled in our youth. Lack of planning is one of the biggest obstacles in front of our nation. The civilizations that lead today are the ones that plan one hundred years ahead. Including training in areas such as communication, leadership, and innovation in this project is extremely valuable. Social intelligence is just as impactful as academic knowledge in achieving success. It is vitally important that such training begins at an early age for the comprehensive development of our youth.”
Hulusi Şentürk: “A strong Türkiye will be built by such a generation”
Later, Member of Parliament for Istanbul Hulusi Şentürk took the stage and emphasized the importance of youth in building Türkiye. Şentürk stated, “If a generation is raised that embraces our values, then both the future of our country and of humanity will be filled with hope. Because we are a nation unfamiliar with colonialism, imperialism, and brutality. In our history, there is no killing of infants, followed by shouting as if it were justified. As Necip Fazıl once said, we need a generation that asks, ‘Who am I, and what is the meaning of this?’—a generation that is thoughtful and concerned. A youth equipped with knowledge, one that can question even their father or grandfather when necessary. A generation that will seek truth, discover it, and walk resolutely on the path they believe in. One that will run to the front lines if necessary, but also engage in science and wisdom. A great and strong Türkiye will be built by such youth. God willing, that youth will be you.”
İshak Koçoğlu: “This project places youth at its center”
Speaking during the program, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Assembly Member İshak Koçoğlu also highlighted the importance of the project. Koçoğlu stated, “This project is a multi-layered example of social responsibility that places youth at its core. Creating space for youth in the business world is no longer optional; it is a necessity.”
Mahmut Ekşi: “To support youth is to invest in the future”
President of the Foundation of Knowledge and Virtue, Mahmut Ekşi, stated, “We are a generation that believes in the potential of youth. To support them is to invest in the future.”
Fatma Kıranoğlu: “We began this journey by saying, ‘You exist, you are seen, you are valuable’”
Speaking as part of the program, President of KASDERFED Fatma Kıranoğlu said, “We set out to tell the youth of Anatolia, especially the young people of Kastamonu, ‘You exist, you are seen, you are valuable.’”
Asst. Prof. Nebiye Yaşar: “From Shadow to Light is not just an institutional project, it is a social contract”
Speaking during the program, Üsküdar University Social Contribution Coordinator Asst. Prof. Nebiye Yaşar shared information about the project. Yaşar stated, “Today, we are not merely launching a project. We are offering hope to the inner world of youth and a new breath to society. Every young person deserves light. Every young person needs just one hand to reach out of the shadows. Extending that hand is our social responsibility. From Shadow to Light is not just an institutional project; it is a social contract. This contract has not been signed with a pen, but with effort, love, and belief.”
Following the opening speeches, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar University and psychiatrist, delivered a conference titled “Effective Communication Techniques with Youth.”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “This project is a project of self-transcendence”
Emphasizing the importance of the project, Prof. Tarhan stated, “This is not merely a project of stepping from shadow into light. It is a project of self-transcendence. A young person must have the goal of transcending themselves. The youth model that modernism currently offers us teaches a philosophy of life that focuses on the self, living solely for personal gain. Modernism teaches this. Even scientists in the United States have realized this and warned, ‘We are ruining the youth. We are miseducating them by altering their ideals.’ In other words, they have become aware of it. Self-transcendence is important. For example, Silicon Valley represents a mindset more than a physical place. The individuals there have transcended themselves in the fields of science and technology with a particular way of thinking. We, too, must strive for self-transcendence for the sake of our society and our future. If we adopt this perspective, we can revive our place on the stage of history. Because we are a nation that emerged from Central Asia and reached as far as the Adriatic. We are a hyperactive society; there is no one like us. We have been taught a learned helplessness , that is, a mindset that says, ‘The West is a superior culture, we are inferior, so let us imitate them and know our place.’ Such a psychological disorder still exists within us. Yet overcoming this disorder would open the doors to many new discoveries. We should aim to do more than what they have done.”
“A youth without purpose cannot find direction”
Prof. Tarhan emphasized that a generation should be raised to seek meaning and purpose: “Aristotle, 2,500 years ago, divided happiness into two categories. One is hedonic happiness, which is pleasure-based. The other is eudaimonic happiness, which is meaning-based. Hedonic happiness is produced by dopamine. For example, cocaine operates through the same mechanism. Wealth, money, fame, all stimulate dopamine in the same way. Even eating a meal gives a similar short-term pleasure. But dopamine is short-lived; once it fades, a person desires it again. On the other hand, meaning-based happiness is mid- and long-term. In people who have medium- or long-term goals and pursue self-transcendence, the brain produces serotonin instead of dopamine. Once this distinction was scientifically proven, a significant paradigm shift began worldwide. Many things are now being rewritten. The understanding that ‘we must raise individuals and youth who pursue meaning and purpose’ is transforming into a strong global educational model. If we do not give young people a purpose worth striving for, sacrificing for, and suffering for, then why would they take action? A youth without purpose cannot find direction.”
“The youth we raise must be youth who transcend themselves”
Stating that the new generation matures with difficulty, Prof. Tarhan said: “Previous generations matured in scarcity. The current generation must mature amid abundance, and that is more difficult. Maturing within abundance is a choice, whereas maturing in scarcity is a necessity. Therefore, it is more difficult for the new generation to mature. We should not blame or reproach them; instead, we should guide them. For example, sometimes young individuals addicted to substances are admitted to our hospital. While working with them, we developed scales to measure awareness of consequences and perception of harm. We use these scales. These children are not even thinking three to five days ahead. That is why we ask them to write a letter to their future self-five years from now. In the letter, they might write things like ‘I want a villa in Sarıyer, I want to do this and that in the sea.’ There is no other ego ideal. If such a generation is raised, it would be a lost generation, that is, members of voluntary imperialism. Today, there is voluntary imperialism. In the past, imperialism arrived through invasion; now, our minds have been invaded. Unless we change this mental occupation, we will not be the subjects of the global system but its objects. Therefore, the youth we raise must be youth who transcend themselves, youth who emerge from the shadows. We must raise young people who, when they reach the end of life, ask themselves, ‘How do I want to be remembered? What kind of person do I want to be?’”
“This is no longer virtual addiction but behavioral addiction”
Prof. Tarhan highlighted the seriousness of internet addiction: “The current situation with the internet is very serious. There is excessive mental engagement and increasing internet use to obtain the same pleasure. If you replace the word ‘internet’ with ‘cocaine,’ the effects are identical. The individual finds it difficult to control their internet use. They attempt to reduce or quit entirely but fail. They say, ‘I will not do it again,’ but they do it again. When they reduce or stop using the internet, symptoms such as restlessness, depression, and irritability appear. These are signs of withdrawal. The person often spends more time online than initially planned. As a result of this excessive use, problems arise in school, family, work, and social relationships. Opportunities related to education and career are put at risk or even lost. Daily life activities are disrupted. Sometimes, the person may lie to family, friends, or their therapist about how much time they spend online. They use the internet as a tool to escape negative emotions to reduce stress caused by feelings of helplessness, guilt, or depression. All of these are symptoms of addiction. This is no longer merely virtual addiction but is now classified as behavioral addiction to gambling addiction. It disrupts the brain’s reward system. This is the risk today’s youth are facing.”
“Today’s suffering is tomorrow’s joy”
Discussing the benefits and harms of social media, Prof. Tarhan stated: “Social media tools make life easier. They teach young people wonderful things. They provide wide-ranging communication opportunities and make access to information easier. On the other hand, they also contain significant risks. Therefore, today’s youth must be more conscious than youth ten or fifty years ago. Being conscious means being able to analyze costs and benefits, distinguish right from wrong, good from bad, safe from unsafe, and friend from foe. These skills are not innate. They are not genetic. They must be taught. Thus, being a conscious young person means having the courage to change oneself before attempting to change the world. That is an act of bravery. A person must confront themselves, question their mistakes, strive for self-improvement, and set goals. As they pursue that goal, they must be able to say, ‘Today’s suffering is tomorrow’s joy.’ A young person who can say this will sit down and study. They will dedicate hours of effort for a goal. This is meaning-focused thinking. This is idealistic youth.”
"A person who lacks internal responsibility cannot improve themselves"
Stating that in addition to external responsibility, internal responsibility must also be emphasized, Prof. Tarhan said: “When we examine the life of our Prophet, we see that during difficult and trying times, the concept of paradise was used to motivate people. This was processed as a kind of internal motivation technique. Each story of the prophets mentioned in the Qur'an is, in fact, a narrative of motivation. Be assured that if we read and interpret them through this lens, we can realize how much inspiration and skill young people can gain in coping with difficulties, setting goals, and overcoming obstacles. It is extremely important to understand these examples correctly and to present them to young people. Because today’s modern education system is mostly focused on external responsibility, not internal. However, it is now understood that a person who lacks internal responsibility cannot improve themselves. They fall into pleasure traps set by others. They become caught in the traps of addiction. They cease to be the subject of their own life and become its object. They become objects of social media and fail to become its subjects.”
Advice from Prof. Tarhan to the youth…
Giving advice to young people, Prof. Tarhan said: “Social media has become one of the tools that leads to the worst use of time. That is why I suggest to young people: set a goal of one quality content per day. Read one article, watch one video, or listen to one podcast. Just one, not more. Follow social media as well, but make sure you include at least one meaningful content item alongside it. Do not accept every piece of information that comes to your mind instantly. Ask, ‘Is this information correct?’ This is digital literacy. If you believe everything you hear, you can easily be manipulated. Because for a person to make a mistake or commit evil, it is enough for them to believe everything they hear. If you want to transcend yourself, you must not be afraid of taking responsibility, and you must start with small steps. Great journeys begin with small steps. Just like great fires start with a single spark. Those small steps must never be underestimated. For example, take on a small responsibility at home each day, such as organizing, shopping, or helping your sibling. Join a student club at school or university. For instance, we have students at our university who participate in projects. I truly congratulate them. They contributed to these projects, and some of them graduated this year. They will realize the true value of the time and effort they invested years later. They will say, ‘I am so glad I took part in this project.’ Because these projects transform the way they see life. They accumulate experience and memories. All of this becomes psychological capital. In time, they will reap the fruits of this capital.”
At the end of the program, commemorative gifts were presented to the speakers.
The opening event concluded with a group photo session.
Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals
The “From Shadow to Light” Project was designed to directly align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In this context, it contributed directly to the following goals: Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)