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Whirling Dervishes Event Guest's Feedback |
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Thank you for your
kind invitation to last night's celebrations. It was a wonderful
evening! I was delighted to see the film of Turkey and to be reminded of
my trip there several years ago, but the highlight of the evening was
undoubtedly the Whirling Dervishes and the talk on Rumi by the academic
from Marmara University beforehand.
It was a most spiritual , mesmerising experience and I felt privileged
to have been invited. Thank you to you and all the organisers of the
event. My best wishes for all the rest of the celebrations. Kind regards, Diane Brebner Head of College Mission Presentation College Windsor |
Many thanks for
inviting me to night's wonderful Mevlani ceremony. It was a privilege to
be there and to be given an intimate view of such a great tradition. The
Dervishes put many of us in the audience in a meditative state.
Just to watch them with me with elation. I have always loved the poetry
of Rumi, and will now read him with added understanding and interest.
Warm wishes, |
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Thank you very much for the wonderful evening last night. It was most
illuminating to see the Dervishes perform the Sema Ceremony and to be a
part of the commemoration of the life of the great saint and mystic
Rumi. Congratulations on organising such a significant event.
Best wishes,
Director, Melbourne Sakya Centre |
A note to thankyou for inviting me to the remarkable evening last night. The discipline of the dancers was breath-taking --how do they do it? Of special mention were the outstanding flute-player and the singer. And you even got politicians and bureaucrats (including Turks) to make short, precise presentations -- a welcome change! And who was the American pretending to be a Turk, who was such an outstanding MC?! Once again AIS showed that there is no-one better when it comes to organisational skills and caring for every detail. In particular, I appreciated the fine book on Rumi in the gift bag. Best greetings Peter Barnett AM
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Thanks for the invitation to comment on the evening at the Rumi conference with the Whirling Dervishes. "When I was a boy growing up in country Queensland my mother used to say to me 'stop running around, you're like a whirling dervish!'. Of course she had never seen a dervish but it was part of the language. It was then an extraordinary experience for me to sit in Melbourne and experience brilliant classical music and religious dance at such a level of sophistication - from Anatolia and more than 700 years old. As well as a feeling that this was strange and different I had a perception that this performance was of the very highest quality because of the clarity of the tones and the cadences of the music. Then when the men danced I was entranced and lost all track of time. I was struck by the red cloth on the floor and had to ask later what it represented. It was a privilege for me to attend with my son who has just graduated from University and get a quick insight into such a deep, rich and ancient culture." Many thanks for all your efforts in putting this conference together
John McCallum Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Victoria University Becon (Hons Psych) Univ of QLD; BPhil, MPhil, DPhil Oxford University UK
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It was a magnificent
event! We were so fortunate in Melbourne to have experienced the
Whirling Dervishes from Turkey together with the musicians who played
the sacred music. I seemed to fall into a deep meditation as I listened
to the music and experienced the silent prayer in motion. The sacred
music and the Whirling Dervishes, allowed us to experience the mystical
form of Islam, a remembrance of the Divine Presence that pervades all.
The experience is really beyond words. The Conference was interesting as I learned some more facts about Turkey and about Mevlana. Thank you too, for the refreshments following the event. This part of the evening allowed us to mix and interact together which is invaluable. My thanks also go to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism for their generosity in presenting guests with a beautiful bag of gifts to take home. Again, my
heartfelt thanks, Helen Summers |
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I must confess that
I went to the Rumi Conference and Mevlevi Sema Ceremony knowing almost
nothing about it. I was made very welcome, and the information kit given
to me helped me gradually understand a little of the occasion and its
significance. The highlight for me was undoubtedly the
whirling of the dervishes. After the solemn entrance, the singing and
the instrumental music, the graceful, measured whirling of the dervishes
was an amazing and beautiful sight. Even though I understood none of the
words sung, I sensed that I was in the presence of a profound religious
ritual,
and that every action and gesture had meaning. It was a privilege to
attend and experience a form of worship so different from anything I
know. Thank you most heartily for inviting me. My congratulations to you
and to all the
others whose hard work made this great event possible. I was so stirred by the experience, that the next day I wrote an account of it for our parish magazine. I attach a shortened version for your information. Yours sincerely, John Howells |
My wife and I were overwhelmed by the professional, inspiring Rumi Conference and Whirling Dervishes performance at the Dallas Brooks Hall. Your organisation and UNESCO are to be congratulated on bringing such an important event to a very wide cross-section of the Victorian community. I think it is so important to bring Rumi’s message of love to our troubled world. All of us human beings are here on this earth for a short time. It is important that the wisdom of Rumi is preserved and passed on to all future generations. My wife and I spoke about the conference all the way back to Geelong. It reinforced our belief that it is through the sharing of cultures and learning from masters such as Rumi and Buddha that we can develop tolerance to those who follow different faith. Congratulations on a very special evening. Sincerely Harry Blackley, President
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Thank you so much for the invitation to attend the Rumi Conference and the Whirling Dervishes performance. It was another beautiful insight into the Turish culture. We both really enjoyed the Sufi music, song and the truly mesmerising and rhythmic movements of the world renouned Whirling Dervishes. Rumi certainly was an influential Isamic poet and mystic given his thoughts and influence is still being celebrated 700 years after his death
Kevin Pope Principal Meadow Heights Primary School
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Wonderful night Emre. Especially, the organisation was very good. I wish all other Turkish events are organised with such attention to detail. We, as Turks, need to target wider Australian community in our endeavours. Many of our "Turkish events" involve the narrow spectrum of Australian Turks. This is not enough. We have to disseminate positive information about our history, culture, cuisine, arts, literature, music, folklore, religion etc etc to the wider Australian population. You have done this through the "Whirling Dervishes" night. Congratulations. Yilmaz Gursoy Mech. Eng. M.Sc. Australian Turkish Media Group Editor
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Thanks for your email and for the kind invitation to the Rumi Conference and the Sema Ceremony. I thought that the dignity of the Sema ceremony combined with the music and the song gradually transported you to a place beyond the noise of daily life. It was a beautiful and uplifting experience. Looking forward to future events.
Regards, Hanne Clermont Coordinator UNESCO Club Victoria
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The presentation of the Mevlevi sema at Dallas Brooks Hall Melbourne was a very special event for me. I have seen the sema on several occasions but never in its full context and with full, live musical accompaniment. I found it deeply moving. The ceremony is a testimony to the spiritual and cultural treasures of Turkey and to the beautiful, living soul of Rumi. In our times of war and strife, division and mistrust, the ceremony is an enduring testimony to a transcending peace and love that crosses all boundaries. It is a medieval ritual yet is still spellbinding for modern man. It is an invocation of the Divine Name, a transmutation of cosmic principles, a shamanic alchemy that draws Divine Love into the hearts of men. As a ritual it contains the secrets of eternity yet it speaks of simple, boundless devotion for anyone who watches the dancers in their whirling ecstasy. The Australian Intercultural Society is to be congratulated for hosting this event in Melbourne. It is important that Rumi be presented and explained to new generations and wider audiences beyond Turkey where he is cherished as a national treasure. The evening was well-organized and gave the right emphasis to appropriate and informative speakers before the sema began. The large crowd of people from diverse backgrounds was fascinated by what they saw. The whole evening, musically and visually, was uplifting. Rod Blackhirst
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Thank you for your
invitation to what was a truly inspiring and transporting ceremony and conference on the 6th of August. To witness the Whirling dervish ceremony, and to hear the power and authenticity of the music was really a profound experience for me, and a valued opportunity to participate in the rich traditions of another culture. I look forward to participating in future events with the AIS. Kind regards, Leah Raymond |
I really
enjoyed the Conference on Rumi and the performance of the Whirling
Dervishes. It was a very spiritual experience that allowed me to
understand in some way the Turkish Culture.
I encourage you to continue with this wonderful events. Regards, Claudia Herrera- Nosthas Consul of El Salvador Melbourne, Australia |
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The evening was fantastic and moving with the short film and the Whirling Dervishes themselves. I congratulate you and the team who put a lot of effort into producing an excellent evening.
Thanks and Regards, Erhan Yondemli |
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