In Konya, ann,versary of Rumi's death observed

The 735th anniversary of the death of 13th century philosopher and mystic poet Rumi was commemorated yesterday with a ceremony in Konya. Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Rumi's views are based on Islam. "Diversity has coexisted in safety, and synagogues, churches and mosques have been together on this land for ages," he added. Saying that people who illicitly try to link terrorism with Islam and spread Islamophobia should read Rumi's work, he added that Rumi and classical German writer Goethe share a similar understanding. Also speaking at the ceremony, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that those who try to smear Islam with terrorism and violence must face Rumi's humanitarian philosophy, adding, "Thus, Turkey is a place where Islam lives in the most free and rational way." Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay also attended the ceremony.