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Founder and Chairman of The World Muslim Communities Council (TWMCC), Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi (in white attire), receives the CCRL program delegates in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. From left to right: Executive Director of Maarif Institute, Abdul Rohim Ghazali, Leimena Institute Senior Fellow and Professor of Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, Prof. Dr. Amin Abdullah, Executive Director of Leimena Institute, Matius Ho, Secretary of the Central Board of the Muhammadiyah Islamic Boarding School Development Institute, Dr. Muhbib Abdul Wahab, and Head of the Education and Training Division of Istiqlal Mosque Management Agency, Dr Farid Saenong.

 

IL News 011/2022

Jakarta, LI News – Founder and Chairman of The World Muslim Communities Council (TWMCC) in Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, accepted the Leimena Institute’s invitation to join the International Board of Advisors for the Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy (CCRL) program. This was conveyed directly by Dr. Al Nuaimi as the CCRL delegation attended the TWMCC conference in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of United Arab Emirates (UAE), on May 8-9, 2022.

Dr. Alwi Shihab, Leimena Institute’s Senior Fellow and former Indonesian Foreign Minister, applauded Dr. Al Nuaimi’s decision. “It is a great honor to have Dr. Al Nuaimi in our advisory board and shows his commitment to international partnership in promoting peace and tolerance.”

Executive Director of Leimena Institute, Matius Ho, stated that the support from Dr. Al Nuaimi further shows international recognition of the CCRL program in building humanity’s global cooperation without religious and cultural barriers.

“This invitation was a form of cooperation between TWMCC and Leimena Institute for the CCRL program wherein Dr. Al Nuaimi was willing to become a member of the International Board of Advisors for the CCRL program,” said Matius.

In addition to being the founder and chairman of TWMCC, Dr. Al Nuaimi is also a member of the UAE Federal National Council for Emirate of Abu Dhabi as well as Chairman of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee at the Council.

Dr. Al Nuaimi is also one of the trusted advisors to the UAE President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) Al Nahyan. President MBZ, who replaced the previous UAE president, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is well known in Indonesia because his name has been enshrined as the name of a toll road, the Jakarta-Cikampek Elevated Toll Road.

“On the first day in Abu Dhabi, the CCRL and Leimena Institute delegation was officially received by His Excellency Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi. It was an honor for us because customarily he only welcomes ministers and other VIP guests there,” said Matius.

The attendance of the CCRL delegation at the TWMCC Conference in Abu Dhabi was represented by five people, three of whom were participants, namely, Matius Ho, along with the Executive Director of the Maarif Institute, Abdul Rohim Ghazali, and the Secretary of the Central Board of the Muhammadiyah Islamic Boarding School Development Institute, Dr. Muhbib Abdul Wahab. Meanwhile, two of them were speakers, namely Leimena Institute Senior Fellow and also Professor at the Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, Prof. Dr. Amin Abdullah, and the Head of the Education and Training Division of the Istiqlal Mosque Management Agency, Dr. Faried Saenong.

According to Matius, Dr. Al Nuaimi truly appreciated the attendance of the CCRL program delegation considering the increasing importance of Indonesia’s involvement in various international forums. The relations with Dr. Al Nuaimi itself was established since the international webinar conducted by the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia and Leimena Institute on November 24, 2020 entitled “A New Narrative of Tolerance for the Abrahamic Family from the United Arab Emirates”. At that time, Dr. Al Nuaimi was one of the speakers.

“Dr. Al Nuaimi has been very supportive towards Indonesia becoming more and more recognized in the world. After the November 2020 webinar, he sent me a message, ‘Hope we can work together to show Muslims around the world the Indonesia Islam’,” said Matius.

Keynote speakers deliver their speeches at the TWMCC Conference

The CCRL Program delegates with the largest mosque in UAE, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, as their backdrop. A mosque of similar design (replica) was built in Solo, Central Java as a gift from Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ).

Attended by Ministers and Former Presidents
 
The TWMCC conference was a prestigious conference attended by high-ranking officials from around 150 countries including ministers and former presidents. The event which was opened by the UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), chose the theme “Islamic Unity: The Concept, Opportunities, and Challenges.

Some of the high-ranking officials in attendance included the Chairman of the UAE Fatwa Council, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Hussein Ibrahim Taha, Pakistan’s Minister of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Abdul Shakoor Sardar Khan, President of Tukey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ali Erbas, Grand Imam of the Great Mosque of Mecca, Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Humaid, former president of Mauritius, Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, and Chairman of Azerbaijan’s Caucasus Muslims’ Board, Sheikh-ul-Islam Haji Allahshukur Hummat Pashazade.

From Indonesia, in attendance were the Rector of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta, Prof. Dr. Amany Burhanuddin Lubis, Head of the University of Indonesia’s School of Strategic and Global Studies, Dr. A. Hanief Saha Ghafur, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Religion and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

The UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Sheikh Nahyan, expressed the importance of a clear and comprehensive strategy to achieve Islamic unity in order to become a global power. According to him, Islam is still and will always be the source of a value system that achieves justice, freedom, and a decent life for each individual, as well as progress and prosperity for the society.

TWMCC Chairman, Dr. Al Nuaimi, stated that the conference was held in light of the challenges that Islamic countries as well as the world are facing. (IL/Chr)