Assistant Director of Üsküdar University Institute of Sufi Studies, Assistant Professor Dr. F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar, and Director Nilgün Akıncı attended the workshop titled 'Sufism: Art, Culture, and Cinema,' organized by Berlin Humboldt University. Zülfikar, who participated in the workshop at the invitation of Prof. Dr. Tûbâ Işık, a faculty member of the Institute for Islamic Theology at Berlin Humboldt University, informed participants about the establishment history of the Institute of Sufi Studies within Üsküdar University, its master's and doctoral programs, and its staff. Nilgün Akıncı, on the other hand, spoke about her new film projects and emphasized the need to work together as a unified force for future hopes to materialize.
The workshop held at Berlin Humboldt University was conducted in two sessions.
Attention Drawn to the Works of the Institute of Sufi Studies
In her speech during the first session, Assistant Director of Üsküdar University Institute of Sufi Studies, Assistant Professor Dr. F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar, mentioned the work of Cemalnur Sargut, who pioneered the establishment of the institute with Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and is currently the Rector's Advisor at Üsküdar University and the Head of TÜRKKAD Istanbul, regarding Sufi studies in universities and the teaching of Sufism in an academic environment. She also provided participants with information about the establishment history of the Institute of Sufi Studies within Üsküdar University, its master's and doctoral programs, and its staff.
In this regard, Zülfikar made statements about the institute's sister organizations within its international academic relations network and about the national and international projects carried out within this scope.
Dr. Zülfikar stated that because the students within the Institute of Sufi Studies are professionals from various fields, the institute creates a significant academic atmosphere that encourages interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches, thus responding to the need for human-centered and humanity-focused studies. Dr. Zülfikar answered questions from the audience after the one-hour conference.
Stated that Art Can Utilize the Language of Communication
In the second session, Assistant Professor Dr. F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar, also made evaluations about the connection between Sufism and art, conveying that Sufism is an art of living, providing examples from the works of Sufis. She demonstrated that art can utilize the language of communication by showing excerpts from the film 'The Last Prophet,' prepared by Cemalnur Sargut.
Akıncı Defined Herself as a Muslim Activist…
Director Nilgün Akıncı, on the other hand, focused on the role of the film industry in the representation of Turks and Muslims living in Germany as a film director. Sharing the difficulties of identity confusion they experience, Akıncı defined herself as a Muslim activist in their struggle for existence.
The audience asked Akıncı, who also offered solutions, questions about the place of art in human life. Akıncı shared excerpts from a short introductory film she prepared about the Berlin Museum of Islamic Art.
It is Necessary to Work Together for Future Hopes to Materialize…
In the second session, Nilgün Akıncı spoke about her new film projects, explaining the necessity of working together as a unified force for future hopes to materialize. Emphasizing that there are 2 billion Muslims living in the world, Akıncı stated that Muslims need conscious collective solidarity to be aware of global issues such as environmental climate pollution and to take essential measures.
Bilateral Cooperation Project on Masnavi-Children is Underway
Assistant Director of Üsküdar University Institute of Sufi Studies, Assistant Professor Dr. F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar, is currently stationed in Berlin at the invitation of Berlin Humboldt University to carry out the work of a bilateral cooperation project on Masnavi-Children.
The project focuses on an interdisciplinary study aimed at evaluating the stories from Rumi's Masnavi in the religious and moral education of children.
Faculty members, doctoral, and master's students from Üsküdar University and Berlin Humboldt University are involved in the project. In Berlin, the two universities will jointly organize a comprehensive congress titled 'Mawlânâ Jalâladdîn Rûmî in Today’s Education: Rethinking Methodologies' on October 11-14, 2024, where the initial outputs of the project will be evaluated.