As a Show of Tolerance, GKJW Jombang Provides Lodging for NU Congress Participants

A spirit of interfaith tolerance has coloured the 35th Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Congress at the Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School in Tambakberas, Jombang Regency, East Java, held from 27 to 31 August 2026.

Various elements of society from different faiths have voluntarily joined forces to provide free lodging facilities in the form of guest houses for congress participants arriving from across Indonesia.

This humanitarian collaboration is spearheaded by the JANUR (Jaringan NU Kultural) Jombang network together with several local churches, namely GKJW Jombang, the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Jombang, and the Inter-Church Cooperation Body (BAMAG) Jombang, as well as the Gudo Temple.

One of the churches opening its doors as a free guest house for participants of the 35th NU Congress is the Jawi Wetan Christian Church (GKJW) Jombang Congregation in Kaliwungu.

Achmad Soleh, a representative of the GKJW Jombang Congregation Council who is familiarly known as Kung Soleh, said that welcoming congress participants to stay overnight is not new for his church. He noted that GKJW had done something similar when the NU Congress was held in Jombang in 2015.

He explained that the closeness between GKJW and NU has existed since before independence, when the majority of residents of Bongsorejo Village, located not far from the Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School, were members of the GKJW congregation.

Since then, the GKJW congregation and NU residents around Tebuireng have lived side by side in harmony and full of tolerance. He also touched on the figure of the late KH Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur, who once taught within the GKJW community.

“Clearly, first of all we have an emotional relationship with our Muslim friends, and especially with NU; GKJW indeed has a closeness,” Kung Soleh told CNNIndonesia.com.

For this year’s congress, Kung Soleh said GKJW has prepared air-conditioned rooms equipped with foam mattresses, pillows, and adequate bathrooms. They have also provided a space for Muslim prayers.

He said the guests staying at his church come from various regions and diverse backgrounds, ranging from congress participants, NU activists, academics, to journalists.

“There are guests from Manado, including the Deputy Chair of PCNU Manado. There are also those from Kebumen. Among them are a lecturer, an Ansor member, and a researcher. There is also a journalist from Surabaya; we are accommodating all of you here,” he said.

Kung Soleh said the response from within the congregation and the GKJW synod leadership to this initiative has been positive. He mentioned that the Chair of the GKJW Supreme Assembly also expressed appreciation after attending the congress opening.

“The response has been good. In fact, yesterday the Chair of the Supreme Assembly—the parent synod body based in Malang—received an invitation to the opening. After it finished, he stopped by here and was very grateful, very thankful that Jombang could at least provide something good,” Kung Soleh said.

He also conveyed a message about interfaith harmony and tolerance in Jombang, which he said is already known as a region with the title of a city of tolerance.

“Because Jombang is a district that has been recognised as holding the title of a city of tolerance in Southeast Asia,” he said.

He added his hope that the outcomes of the 35th Congress will produce decisions that bring peace and strengthen interfaith harmony.

“Of course we have a hope that the results of this congress will at least produce decisions that, first, bring peace and prosperity to the people. Second, they will further foster togetherness and harmony among us,” he said.

The Coordinator of JANUR Jombang, Aan Anshori, said this interfaith guest house initiative was born from a spirit of openness and care among religious communities in Jombang.

“This effort is a concrete contribution from the church community in Jombang to provide convenience for anyone with good intentions to make the 35th NU Congress a success,” Aan said.

Based on data compiled by JANUR Jombang, 47 congress participants have so far occupied the three free guest houses.

They come from East Java, West Java, West Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, and Central Kalimantan, with backgrounds ranging from Banser members, Muslimat members, journalists, activists, to academics.

The participants are staying at three locations: the GKJW Jombang Guest House, the GKI Jombang Rectory, and the BAMAG Guest House in Weru Hamlet, Mojongapit Village.

He stressed that this joint movement reflects a national spirit that strengthens Jombang’s position as a tolerant region.

“This joint movement is a clear reflection of the national spirit that affirms Jombang’s position as both a City of Santri and a City of Tolerance,” Aan said.

One congress participant staying at GKJW Jombang, Arhanuddin Salim, said he deliberately chose to stay at the church’s guest house during the congress.

The Deputy Chair of Tanfidziyah PCNU Manado, who also serves as a lecturer at IAIN Manado, said his decision was based on his closeness with interfaith communities in his home region.

“I am an interfaith activist in Manado. We happen to have an interfaith network there, so I am already accustomed to churches,” Arhanuddin said.

He said the welcome he received from the GKJW guest house managers, from initial communication to his arrival in Jombang, was excellent. Arhan also shared details of the facilities provided at the GKJW Jombang guest house during his stay.

“There was a ‘Welcome’ banner. That was extraordinary in my view, and facilities like this are very helpful for those of us who are far from Jombang, especially those from Sulawesi,” he said.