Fethullah Gülen lost his friend Prof. Toktamış Ateş, an academic, writer, and eminent democrat

Jan. 20, 2013 - PRLog -- Turkish Professor Toktamış Ateş, also a columnist with the Bugün daily, passed away on Saturday January 19, 2013. Fethullah Gülen expressed his condolences in a statement he released the same day, describing Prof. Ateş an exemplary person in academia and media.

Known as a Kemalist and a secular, Dr. Toktamis Ates posed to the cameras, in an Iftar Dinner in 1995, hand in hand with Mr. Fethullah Gülen, which drew harsh criticism of ultra-secularists.

Having written over 30 books, he also wrote columns for the Cumhuriyet daily for more than ten years. He was most recently writing regular columns for the Bugün daily.  He was among the recipients of the "Tolerance Award" given by the Journalists and Writers Association in 1996.

Gülen recognized his contribution to dialogue, tolerance and democracy in difficult times in Turkey.

Prof. Ateş , in addition to supporting Gülen movement's activities, wrote a forward to Gülen's book "Love and the Essence of Being  Human."

Fethullah Gülen:

I am deeply saddened to learn about the death of my friend, distinguished scholar and writer Prof. Dr. Toktamış Ateş, an exceptional member of academia and the media, who rendered great services in spreading the understanding of dialogue and tolerance with his brave pen, smiling face, and reconciling personality; who contributed to, with his firm stance, developing a culture of democracy during difficult times in Turkey.

I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences to his wife Nevin Hanımefendi and the grieving family, his relatives, friends and students. May God have mercy on his soul."

Read more: http://www.hizmetnews.com/index.php/latest-news/item/758-...