In May of 2008, Divan hosted a trip to Turkiye taking twelve Americans on a journey to experience and meet Turkish people and culture and contribute to inter-faith dialogue. The group of Americans came from all different backgrounds. Some of them were professors, students, nurses, some black, white, Jewish and Christian but everyone shared a unique and life-changing experience. The group traveled across the Turkish countryside to cities such as Istanbul, Ephesus, Cappadocia, Konya on plane, bus and even boat. They shared meals with Turkish families, visited their homes, experienced Turkish hospitality and the Muslim faith. These experiences were life changing and these interfaith conversations helped broaden the minds of both the American and Turkish peoples involved.
Duke Islamic Studies Center (DISC) and Divan organized a trip to Turkey in March 2009 with the participation of 12 Duke students and a faculty. The trip included visits to historical and religious sites, high schools, a university, some non-governmental organizations and houses of some Turkish families giving the students the opportunity to learn about the Turkish and Islamic culture.
Divan Cultural Center organized a talk and a presentation by Prof. John R. Sopper of UNC-Greensboro. Prof. Sopper recently visited Turkey and he shared his remarks on his trip to Turkey in this program. The program started with a Turkish style breakfast on Saturday October 31, 2009 at 10:30am.
