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Hasyim expects his successor to still internationalize NU agenda

NU Online  ·  Rabu, 25 November 2009 | 01:20 WIB

Jakarta, NU Online
General chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU)KH Hasyim Muzadi expected his successor for the coming period of management to remain continuing the NU international agenda.

Hasyim said that the general chairman candidate of PBNU should be capable of promoting NU thoughts and showing the role of the Indonesia's largest Muslim organization in the international level.<>

"The coming PBNU (management) should be able to continue the NU international agenda. General chairman of PBNU should, again and again, be able to promote the NU mindset that the NU mindset can be used by the world," Hasyim told reporters here on Tuesday (24/11).

Hasyim said that one of the NU international agenda was the continuation of the International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) having so far been conducted for three times by gathering prominent intellectuals and Muslim scholars (ulema) from the Middle East and the West.

"Muslim people from the Middle East could not invite those are from the West, while at the same time the West has never invited those are from the Middle East. But through the ICIS, all could gather," he said.

Hasyim added that the ICIS had also become such as second track diplomacy in addition to using formal diplomatic channels. Scores of  world's prominent figures sans frontieres grouped under the NU world forum have at least been capable of helping resolve various conflicts in the Middle East and cases triggered by hardline Muslim groups.

Hasyim himself as the secretary-general of ICIS and the president of the World Conference of Religions for Peace played important roles in releasing South Korean hostages by Taliban. He was also involved in addressing conflicts in southern Thailand.

Recently Hasyim was also considered as one the the 500 most influential figures, according to the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in Jordan in which Hasyim ranked 18th in the list and positioned himself as the most influential figure from Indonesia.

Hasyim was of the view that the rank was actually given to NU as the world's largest Muslim organization for constantly promoting moderate values in the international level.

"NU has been able to develop moderate Islamic teachings, rahmatan lil alamin (blessings for the universe). Formerly world has only had two alternatives, namely the liberal and the fundamental. In this respect, NU has been able to involve itself in the international level without following the two extreme ideologies," he said. (nam)