Nic Paton Cape Town activities, Choir and music

CTII Community Choir

The CTII Community Choir had its inaugural practice last Saturday.

Many of us were meeting for the first time but the chemistry was good and a sense of possibility prevailed. We are placing values of trust, presence and participation alongside any musical aspirations, and the goodwill we already have was very encouraging to experience.

We were hosted by our friends at the Turquoise Harmony Institute, and fittingly noted the word “Harmony” in the middle of their name. It is too early to share any recordings, as we will be finding our feet for the next while, but here are a few pictures to give a sense of the occasion.

Music and song are strong uniters of people. Using our voices to express the hearts desire for unity and universal compassion is not only a beautiful thing to do in and of itself, it also serves an important social function in a fractured world. And the resources of the world’s song and interfaith/interspiritual communities are more available to us than ever before.

We pray for the formation of friendship, community and music as we move forward.

Nic Paton Cape Town activities

Youth, generosity, and cohesion: the 2025 Turquoise Harmony Institute Iftar dinner

“Let us no longer consider ourselves to be a drop destined to dry and vanish. Instead, let us unite as one cascading river, flowing towards the sea of eternity.”

M. Fethullah Gülen

On Wed 19th March our sister organisation, the Turquoise Harmony Institute, hosted an Iftar (breaking of the Ramadan fast) dinner at Star College, Bridgetown/Athlone, in Cape Town. Turquoise is the South African NGO which is a part of the Hizmet movement, whose visionary leader Fethullah Gülen, passed away in 2024.

Gülen’s rich legacy of the Spirit and his visionary social cohesion programs have been patiently developed in Cape Town by the Regional leader Dr Aydin Inal, who also serves on the Board of the CTII. Together with his amazing wife Rabia, the Inals have created a hub of genuine community that truly transcends their Turkish origins. Their hugely generous hosting and effective social action over the last decades – ubuntu itself – was palpable at the event.

Fethullah Gulen at his residence in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania in 2004.

What perfect harmony, what exquisite balance! (And did I mention the food?) Dedicated to and featuring our youth, the Iftar was a triumph in every way. The CTII’s Pippa Jones introduced 3 of our CTII rising stars who spoke magnificently to the 200 strong assembly. And many more young voices from inside the larger Turquoise, Muslim and Interfaith communities amazed us with their eloquence and insight.

Tara Younge, Mbali Magaqa and Golden Mwuara of the CTII Schools program

Several prominent South African political and academic dignitaries, such as Prof. Aslam Fataar, Prof. Farid Esack, and MP Shameemsh Davids bridged the youthful energy with the reality of our still-struggling society. The deputy minister of Social Development, Ganief Hendricks, closed the array of speakers.

The CTII is proud to be associated with the Turquoise Harmony Institute, and may our complementarity grow from strength to strength.

Nic Paton, Nabil Mohamed
Nic Paton CTII Schools Programme

Schools Project 2025: Session 2, Stalwarts of Struggle

Monday 17th March saw the second meeting of the CTII schools project, at Erin Hall in Rondebosch.

We featured a number of “stalwarts of struggle” from South Africa’s past, including Mary Burton (Black Sash), Horst Kleinschmidt (Christian Institute, International Defense and Aid Fund), as well as the CTII’s own Mary Frost, Geordie Ratcliffe (director of Sustainability Matters), and Benjy de Kock, UCT Mandela-Rhodes Scholar. Most belong to Masibuyisane, a civil society group discussing and acting on current societal issues.

Mary Frost and Mary Burton

Sensitively led by Pippa Jones and Laurie Gaum, some 48 learners from 8 schools across the metro had time to interact with these elders in activism, and submit interesting questions to them around creating a life worth living, especially in the South Africa with so much still undone and where so many issues are still causing suffering.

While religion was not overtly central to the discussion at this event, the multi-faith learners were treated to an expansive view of the lives of people who responded to their consciences in a dark time and stuck with their convictions despite exile and imprisonment, for decades thereafter.

Savannah du Plessis, an invited observer, said “Enriching; I loved the way the students sparkled! To be in the presence of people who were and are absolute radicals was extremely inspiring and motivating.”

Laurie Gaum, Horst Kleinschmidt, Mary Burton, Georgie Ratcliffe, Benjy de Kock, and Pippa Jones.

For further viewing

The Black Sash Legacy: Mary Burtons work

Being a Neighbour: Equity and Justice – Horst Kleinschmidt

Parliament of World Religions 5 min Intro

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission: what you need to know

Nic Paton Announcements, News Article, Tribute

Queer Imam Muhsin Hendricks murdered.

Imam Muhsin Hendricks, the openly gay Islamic leader based in Cape Town, was assassinated on the 15th February 2025 by masked assailants in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), reportedly as he prepared to officiate at a gay wedding in an Islamic context. Details are still unclear, and no-one has at present or been identified or claimed responsibility.

Muhsin was a friend of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative, and a brave and compassionate human being. He led the Al-Ghurbaah Foundation (denoting in Arabic the “strange or weird”), a shelter for LGBTQIA+ refugees from harsh orthodoxies.

Muhsin Hendricks (left in black cap) leads a meditation during a CTII interfaith hike.

While Muhsin’s murder is devastating, it is unsurprizing. This comes at a time when the worst of us is being emboldened by the new demagoguery, which does what it likes decisively and thinks itself righteous.

Mushin’s assassination raises difficult questions for Interfaith and its dialogue, around questions of inclusivity and the morality of so-called “outsiders” to faith orthodoxies.

His story is told in the 2022 documentary film, The Radical. As the subtitle suggests, he chose faith over fear:

Brother Muhsin, we salute your contribution to creating a more compassionate world.

May you rest in Peace. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.

Nic Paton Cape Town activities, News Article

Meditation and meandering: the Tibetan mastery of Mingyur Rinpoche

Members of the CTII attended a weekend workshop called “Joy Of Living” featuring the teachings of Tibetan meditation master Mingyur Rinpoche. It was held at the Michael Oak Waldorf School in preparation for the visit to South Africa by Mingyur between August 27 and September 10 2025.

Taught by Nepal-/Costa Rica-based George Hughes of Tergar, the global community supporting the teachings, the workshop was a great success. George, (with video recordings from Rinpoche) focused on awareness in a very practical manner.

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