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LIGHTMILLENNIUM.ORG & ISIKBINYILI.ORG
CELEBRATES ITS SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY
WITH
PARTICIPATION FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE
WORLD
Bircan
ÜNVER, Founding President
LIGHTMILLENNIUM.ORG
ISIKBINYILI.ORG
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For OPEN
CALL FOR PRESENTERS FOR A READING OF WORKS
BY, AND ABOUT, MEVLANA CELALEDDIN RUMI
A Joint Celebration of Mevlana Celaleddin
RUMI's 800th Birthday and the 7th Anniversary
of the Light Millennium
The story of the main idea that gave birth
to the organization
In 1989, when I first came to America, and for the following four
years, I could not go to Turkey at all.
And for this reason, I could not see my
son Baris whom I left with my family and
who was 8 years old at that time.
I had started my journey of America alone and I did not know how
long I was going to stay here. When I
was starting this journey, I had aimed
for learning English and having an education
on TV production, and for this, I had
my savings of more than ten years just
for this purpose. But I did not really
know how I would make it real. The first
year passed in Los Angeles. Learning about
the Queens Public TV (QPTV) made me move
to New York.
The first four years passed by striving for carrying out my ideals
even though it was hard to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, QPTV opened new doors for me
in intellectual terms. It was offering
a chance to everyone who wished to make
his/her own programs and I took advantage
of the courses offered there, and this
was about not only producing but also
airing them. So, I acquired a production
capacity for myself to do what I always
wanted to do. So, the first period, I
produced and broadcasted nearly 20 programs,
all with my personal effort and with finances
that I could spare from basic expenses.
At this point, the idea of enrolling in
a graduate program on Media came to the
fore. In addition to the necessity of
making money for daily survival, using
the time in QPTV left for me for working
on my own projects and working in other
production teams, now I had my graduate
studies.
Especially the first four years, I was desperately in need of following
up the news from Turkey through daily
newspapers and books and of being in continuous
connection with my family and friends.
I could call my family and son only once
in a while and I was constantly struggling
to deal with the financial difficulties
and lack of time.
My experience in QPTV and especially the graduate program I started
in New School University on Media, then
going to Turkey for three years (1993-1996),
and coming back and restarting the program
(1997), and the course “Media Theory”
in line with the “Internet and On-Line”
course (Spring 1997) combined and became
an inspiration for Lightmillennium.org
(and in Turkish isikbinyili.org). So,
I aspired for not only getting information
form daily newspapers about what was happening
in Turkey or in other places in the world,
but also for being able to present different
lives, cultures and values in one platform
and directly from the first hands. When
I graduated in May 1999, the main idea
I foresaw for this organization almost
transformed itself into my essay for my
40th birthday Manifesto. The
essay which I distributed by e-mail in
the first week of May is at the same time
the birth record of the Light Millennium.
From Personal Search to Institutionalizing and Becoming a Global
Positive Platform
I initiated Lightmillennium.org as a New York based not-for-profit
and charitable organization in accordance
with the US laws on July 17 2001. The
organization aims to activate in multi
media and multi platforms as well as an
open informal educational institution
for all. In this general context, Internet
publishing, TV programs/documentaries
and cultural events in different areas,
panels, and special film screenings are
some of the organization’s activities
up to date. It also aims to be active
in book publishing, film production and
events in other cultural and arts areas.
The organization’s mission and vision
was first introduced in August 1999 on
the Web, stating that it aims to promote
freedom of expression, publish different
ideas from people of all ages, ranging
from amateurs to professionals, from every
corner of the world, to make it possible
for us to know each other and cultural
values and to create a global positive
connection and a global cultural value.
The organization institutionally has succeeded to make itself recognized
in different social and cultural levels.
As a result of this, Light Millennium
attended the United Nations Department
of Public Information, 59th
Annual Conference in September 2005 for
the first time. And following this, it
has been associated with the United Nations/Department
of Public Information effective December
12, 2005. It has published 14 Turkish
(ISIKBINYILI.ORG), 20 English (LIGHTMILLENNIUM.ORG),
44 total (Turkish and English) e-magazines
and produced and aired more than 50 TV
programs under the Light Millennium TV
Series.
In its essence, Lightmillennium.org has also aimed to be an OPEN
SCHOOL as an open platform for education
via its multi-platforms. The organization's
programs give specific importance in encouraging
writings and presenting those from ways
of life in conjunction to intellectual
creativity as well as learning from each
other, and cultural exchange—developing
together—through its activities
and events with these purposes. For this
reason, the academicians, both Turkish
and American, are the majority in its
Board of Directors.
Light Millennium organization has reached today from its day of
introduction holding its all events and
programs based on hundred percent volunteer
efforts. The organization aims to maintain
its existence and future by using the
opportunities, which the USA government
offers to not-for-profit organizations.
At the same time, one of its main goals
is to institutionalize ISIKBINYILI.ORG
in Turkey in accordance with the Turkish
laws.
The contributors to the Turkish and English platforms in terms
of intellectual products, events and TV
programs have reached over 700. The number
of hits received on its Web site in 2006
is over 13 million, and the number of
active visitors is above 900 thousand.
The organization’s main web site
alone visited in over 110 countries since
April 2005. It has voluntary representatives
over 40 in four continents, and several
countries, having USA, Turkey and Europe
on the top. It has succeeded to make all
the publishing and work without including
any commercials and having any financial
sponsors. In spite of this, all contributions
and donations in terms of the content,
venue, reception, or promotion have been
gathered with in-kinds donations, various
ways of collaborations and the common
energy of the Board of Directors.
The Manifesto of the organization was sent to more than 40 e-addresses
for the first time in May 1999. The introduction
issue was published in August 1999. For
this reason, the organization is celebrating
its 8th anniversary of its
birth and introduction.
However, e-publishing with multi-participations
and the Light Millennium TV Series/Queens
Public TV have initiated in January 2000.
The Light Millennium has been operating
based on its Publishing Policy and Mission
and model with determination by continuing
its activities and publishing in two languages
since then. And light Millennium looks
toward future years with hope with its
publishing and programs enveloping all
ideas from all ages, all areas globally.
It also aims to continue its activities
and programs in at least three languages.
These first 7 years have been the most difficult, turbulent and
chaotic years of the 21st century,
not just for our organization but for
the whole world. For this reason, we are
even more hopeful today than yesterday
and we hold our belief stronger than ever
that we will continue increasing our potency
and efficiency by developing, becoming
stronger within our Vision in those thousand
years to come.
We thank our present and former Board of Directors, Advising Committee
members, all volunteer representatives
and contributing authors, artists, poets
and academicians, all persons and institutions
participating in our events for giving
support and contributing in Isik Binyili,
Light Millennium, Light Millennium TV
Series, Turkish-Greek Synergy despite
the conditions which at first seemed impossible.
By taking strength from your support and
contributions, we believe in our tomorrows
more than yesterday.
Eight Years Ago and From Now On...
At this point, when we look eight years back, despite the impossible
seeming conditions in the beginning, negative
reactions and even lost friendships, our
organization has been an inspiration to
countless Web sites, either commercial
or noncommercial, and many persons and
institutions. It has succeeded to sow
its seed of vision globally with artists,
authors, amateurs, professionals, academic
contributors, volunteer supporters and
institutional corporations side by side
that count more than 700. All e-publications,
television programs and events that have
been carried out under the umbrella of
Light Millennium are the products of those
seeds. And those products are now a part
of the mutual consciousness of a global
community.
With the hope of continuing our journey to awaken the mutual consciousness,
to claim our own existence and form a
mutual global family, by multiplying,
becoming strong, sharing, supporting each
other, becoming more active, joining in
shared ideals and dreams with new participations
from all around the world and all together,
always going further, and further, for
many ten years and hundred years...
- Translated from Turkish by: Figen BINGÜL, Secretary
General of the Light Millennium
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For OPEN
CALL FOR PRESENTERS FOR A READING OF WORKS
BY, AND ABOUT, MEVLANA CELALEDDIN RUMI
A Joint Celebration of Mevlana Celaleddin
RUMI's 800th Birthday and the 7th Anniversary
of the Light Millennium
© Bircan Unver,
March 30, 2007, 7th Anniversary
of the Light Millennium, LIGHTMILLENNIUM.ORG
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