In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Turkey serves as an illustration of how Islam and secularism can successfully blend in post-Taliban Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East.
That was the message presented last night at Reber Building in "Secular Turkey: TurkishPresentation praises Turkish life Example Under M.K. Ataturk's Reforms," a presentation co-organized by the Turkish Student Association and the Turkish Association for Secularism and Kemalism (TASK).
The event was organized in commemoration of Saturday's 63rd anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder and first president of the modern Republic of Turkey.
Ataturk led Turkey through a period of swift and revolutionary change in the early 1900s, culminating in the formation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. From the remnants of the Ottoman Empire's hold on the region, Ataturk uprooted the traditional religious foundation of government and established modern Turkey as a Westernized, secular state, according to a video shown at the presentation.
To this day, Turkey is the only secular country with a Muslim majority. The CIA's The World Factbook 2001 states that more than 95 percent of the Turkish population is Muslim.
The constitution of TASK, an organization founded at Penn State in 1998, says one of its objectives is to "inform the academic community at (Penn State) and urge them to take action against all radical religious activities around the world."
Baris Sarikaya, president of TASK, said that the events of Sept. 11 have forced that objective to the forefront.
"We all have to think about it," Sarikaya said. "It doesn't matter if you're a citizen of the U.S. or not."
TSA president Aytac Aydin said that Turkey proves to the world that it is possible for Islam to exist without radical governments like Afghanistan's Taliban.
"Turkey is a country that successfully combines Islamic beliefs and rational thinking," Aydin said. "We want to be the model for future Muslim countries."
After a moment of silence to open the presentation, several slide shows about the history and culture of modern-day Turkey and the life of Ataturk followed, mixed with remarks from officers and faculty advisors from both the TSA and TASK.
Cengiz Camci, professor of aerospace engineering, said the Sept. 11 attacks have shed light on the dangers of radically religious government.
"In a society where religious values are imposed by the state, the true meaning of religion diminishes," Camci said. "That's what happens in Afghanistan."
Savas Yavuzkurt, professor of mechanical engineering, said the attacks have created a common bond between Turkish and American citizens.
"Turkish people understand the pain of terrorism," Yavuzkurt said. "It is important for people to educate themselves, and today, we have taken a small step in that direction."
