Asia-Pacific News

Indonesian president opens three-day Islamic scholars conference

Jul 30, 2008, 7:42 GMT

Jakarta - More than 300 Muslim leaders from around the world kicked off a three-day meeting in Jakarta Wednesday to discuss the role of Islam in conflicts in Muslim-populated countries. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in his keynote remarks that Muslims throughout the world are responsible for fostering global peace through religious tolerance. 'Too much attention and energy has been spent on resolving conflicts but still not enough on preventing them,' Yudhoyono said. 'We must find an exact method to solve the conflicts,' said Yudhoyono, who on previous occasions has said that Indonesia, as a leading moderate Muslim nation, is trying to play a key role within the Islamic world to provide a bridge between Islam and the West. More than 300 Muslim leaders from 66 countries are attending the International Conference of Islamic Scholars, organized by Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia. Nahdlatul Ulama's chairman, Hasyim Muzadi, said the three-day meeting would discuss conflicts in Muslim-populated areas - such as in the Palestinian territories, Sudan, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan - and try to find solutions to the problems. 'Global injustice against the Muslim world had further worsened and prolonged the conflicts,' Muzadi said in an opening speech. The conference, which was convened for the first time in 2004, is held every two years.

Asia-Pacific News

Indonesian president opens three-day Islamic scholars conference

On the Web

Your Talkback on this Story

Similar articles

Latest Headlines in Asia-Pacific

Older Talkback

Like M&C on Facebook

Viral Web

In Monsters and Critics

Corporate

The Fine Print