Lapor Jokowi, PBNU Gagas Dialogue Interfaith Throughout ASEAN September

PBNU General Chair Yahya Cholil Staqu At The Merdeka Palace, Jakarta (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board initiated an interfaith and cultural dialogue forum in the ASEAN Summit series which will be held in September.

PBNU General Chair Yahya Cholil Staquf explained that his party had conveyed the idea to Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"We ask the President for permission to hold this forum and he gave permission, now we are ready for everything," said Gus Yahya, his nickname, when met at the Jakarta Presidential Palace Complex, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, June 9.

Gus Yahya explained that his arrival before President Jokowi was in addition to reporting on the development of the idea of an interfaith dialogue forum, he also asked for advice regarding the implementation time in the middle of the 43rd ASEAN Summit which was held in Jakarta on September 5-7, 2023.

He also asked President Joko Widodo to open and give a key speech at the forum called "ASEAN Intercultural and Interreligious Forum".

According to Gus Yahya, this forum was held with the same spirit when PBNU also initiated R20, namely forums for religious leaders and sects with main participants from G20 member countries. This forum takes advantage of Indonesia's presidency in 2022.

"This is the same spirit as R20, the spirit is the same, but because this is related to ASEAN later we will not use the name R20, this is an ASEAN forum, interfaith and inter-ASEAN forum," he said.

As for its chairmanship in ASEAN this year, Indonesia carries the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth" which means ASEAN is important and relevant as a center of world growth.

There are three important elements in the meaning of ASEAN Matters, namely strengthening ASEAN capacity and effectiveness, ASEAN unity, and ASEAN centrality.

Meanwhile, under the Epicentrum of Growth pillar, Indonesia seeks to ensure important elements in the region consisting of health architecture, energy security, food security, and financial stability.