Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture

Important Meetings from the IIKV Delegation in Colombia and Mexico

Important Meetings from the IIKV Delegation in Colombia and Mexico

Colombia / Medellín Risale-i Nur Reading Program

A three-day Risale-i Nur Reading Program was held in Medellín, Colombia, with the participation of Muslims from across the country and Mexico. Around 20 participants attended the program, engaging in in-depth readings of selected sections and exchanging ideas.

Participant Feedback
After the program, participants shared their reflections:
They had previously read Risale-i Nur superficially, but the lessons helped them realize its depth.
Due to biases from Wahhabi scholars, they had initially kept their distance from these works but now truly discovered them.
Some Christian converts to Islam gained a better understanding of the relationship between Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Prophet Jesus (AS) through these lessons.
They found spiritual peace and emphasized the need for more frequent programs of this kind.
The attending Muslims expressed that this was their first true encounter with Risale-i Nur as a work explaining the realities of faith.

Visit to the Encuentro Islam Center
Following the event, participants visited the Encuentro Islam Center, a place where Colombian Muslims frequently gather. The group performed Friday prayers at the center, and Abdullah Santiago from our delegation delivered a sermon based on Risale-i Nur, addressing the congregation.

Educational Initiatives in Mexico
The İİKV delegation visited Sheikh Mudar’s educational project in Chiapas, Mexico, which integrates both madrasa and regular school education.

Sheikh Mudar is working on a model that combines a mosque and a school, aiming to make this project a model for all of Mexico. Initially starting with 20 students at the preschool and primary school level, the initiative has now been integrated into Mexico’s educational system, granting official diplomas.
Sheikh Mudar expressed his desire to collaborate with İİKV for curriculum support in preschool education and to train Spanish-speaking volunteer imams.

He also emphasized that Mexican children who convert to Islam struggle to maintain their identity and that Islamic education should be integrated into the regular school system.

Engagement with Local Muslim Communities
The İİKV delegation visited some of the oldest mosques and Islamic centers in Mexico, meeting with local communities and learning about the challenges faced by Muslims in the region.
Committed to spreading Islamic education in Latin America, İİKV continues its efforts to support new Muslim communities and strengthen spiritual unity.

International Activities

The International Unit of İİKV Explained Risale-i Nur at the Qadiri Gathering in Gambia

Representatives of the International Unit of the Istanbul Foundation for Knowledge and Culture (İİKV) attended the traditional annual gathering of the Qadiri community held in the African country of Gambia. As part of the program, the İİKV delegation came together with Sheikh Muhammad Gilani, one of the descendants of His Holiness Abdul Qadir Gilani and one of the most important spiritual leaders of the Qadiri path today. In the gathering, which took place in a spiritual atmosphere, various lessons and dhikr circles were conducted.

4–6 October 2026 · Istanbul

13th International Bediuzzaman Symposium

Visit the symposium website for the programme, papers and registration.