Conference on Yunus Emre at KU Leuven

A conference on famous Yunus Emre, a Turkish poet and Islamic Sufi mystic who greatly influenced Turkish and world culture, organized at prestigious Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium in cooperation with Yunus Emre Institute in Brussels, Turkish Embassy in Brussels, LCSICS and LECTIO, today, on 21 November 2022.

The conference is started by a welcome reception under the auspices of the KU Leuven Rector Prof. Dr. Luc Sels at the university's reception room and followed by the conference. Turkish Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye in Brussels, Mr. Bekir Uysal, Vice-Rector of International Policy and Interculturality Prof Dr. Peter Lieven, Director General of IRCICA Prof. Dr. Mahmut Erol Kilic, Prof. Dr. Arjan Post, Prof. Dr. Jeroen Poblome, Prof. Dr. Ralf Vandam. Prof. Dr. Raf Van Rooy, and Prof. Dr. Umar Ryad took the stage as part of the conference.

Participants welcomed the speeches made by precious speakers on Yunus Emre and his reflections on Sufism, Islamic philosophy and the west.

Yunus Emre was a Turkish Sufi master of the thirteenth century whose poetry continues to reverberate to this day. The simplicity of the language used to convey the inherently complicated concepts of divine love, love of humanity, the illuminated heart, all from the perspective of unity transcends the boundaries of language and religion and speaks to all.

Sufism is still often regarded simply as the mystical branch of Islam, without much regard for its diversity or its close relationship with the Sunni theological tradition, as noted by Prof. Dr. Arjan Post.

Prof. Dr. Jeroen Poblome delivered a speech regarding the archeology of Anatolia in the times of Yunus Emre. Prof. Dr. Raf Van Rooy and Prof. Dr. Umar Ryad jointly covered the subject of "The Collegium Trilingue and Islam: A first inroad to peaceful intercultural dialogue through Nicolaus Clenardus".

Musician Mrs. Simay Aydin performed during the conference and introduced some masterpieces from Turkish Sufi music.

The event is followed by a reception with Turkish delicacies and drinks thanks to the event sponsor and supporter, Yunus Emre Institute.