IRCICA Director General Prof. Mahmud Erol Kılıç was invited as a speaker to the International Conference on the theme “Works of Mawlana Balkhi and his Contributions to the Development of World Culture” which was organized by the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Tajikistan to UNESCO and Rudaki Association, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 7 June 2024. In the scholarly conference that celebrated “815 Years with Mawlana Balkhi”, Prof. Kılıç gave a talk titled “The Great Thinker Rumi As A Unifying Philosopher”, underlining the importance of preserving the true image and deepening correct understanding of the works of Jalaluddin Rumi in the minds of world peoples. Rumi’s works have been studied uninterruptedly since his time and their commentaries continue to be written by philosophers in different linguistic and cultural contexts. Additionally, easily understood due to their poetic format and propagated in different languages, his ideas became part of the popular cultures in many countries. Despite the high-level of in-depth knowledge required to grasp their meanings Rumi’s ideas are intended for all humanity; in his view, all religions lead to the same end; therefore, all those engaged in the pursuit of truth are in equal position whatever the path they choose to follow. Professor Kılıç quoted from Rumi’s verses expressing the oneness of humanity, emphasizing their contemporary significance.
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