35th NU Congress to be Held at Pesantren Tambakberas Jombang

The Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) has decided that Pesantren Tambakberas in Jombang, East Java, will host the 35th NU Congress. The decision was made during a joint Syuriyah and Tanfidziyah meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday, 7 July 2026.

Organising Committee Chairman Saifullah Yusuf called on all regional and branch administrators to focus on preparations for the organisation’s highest forum. ‘I invite branch and regional administrators to focus on preparations for the Congress,’ he said in a statement on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.

The joint meeting was attended by core PBNU officials from both the Syuriyah and Tanfidziyah councils, including the Rais Aam, his deputies, the General Chairman, the Secretary General, the Katib Aam, the General Treasurer, and other administrators.

Gus Ipul stated that the meeting also decided to change the timing of the Congress. The five-yearly PBNU forum will now be held from 27 to 30 August 2026, shifting from the previously set dates of 1 to 5 August.

The joint meeting also agreed on a special policy for regional and branch administrators in Papua. He said this policy was adopted as a form of PBNU’s attention to the conditions and needs of the organisation in the eastern part of Indonesia.

Before finalising the location for the 35th NU Congress, the committee received proposals from regional administrators willing to host the event. The five candidates were Jakarta, East Java, West Java, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Sumatra.

Steering Committee Secretary for the 2026 NU National Conference and Congress, Mohammad Nuh, explained that four main aspects were considered in determining the location for the largest forum within Nahdlatul Ulama.

The first consideration was the adequacy of facilities and infrastructure needed to support the event. The second aspect was security. According to Nuh, the Congress must be held in a location that can guarantee the safety of participants and ensure all proceedings run in an orderly manner. ‘Because this concerns the Congress, security must be ensured. Do not let people who do not have the authority or eligibility enter the room,’ he said.

Third was the financial readiness of the host region. The fourth consideration was the spiritual aspect, which has long been a hallmark of important decision-making within NU. ‘In NU, of course, the final result always involves spiritual consideration,’ Nuh said.