Bekasi City’s Gemma Qur'an breaks MURI record ahead of Nuzulul Qur'an

Bekasi City has hosted a grand event titled Gemma Qur’an (Movement to Read and Write the Qur’an) at Gelanggang Olah Raga Bang Yan, in the Patriot Candrabhaga Stadium complex, Jalan Ahmad Yani, on Friday morning, as part of its 29th anniversary celebrations and to welcome Nuzulul Qur’an 1447 Hijriah. The ceremony was attended by Mayor Tri Adhianto Tjahyono, a representative from Museum Rekor Dunia Indonesia (MURI) Yusuf Natri, LPTQ Kota Bekasi Chair KH Muhammad Idrus Al Hafidz, Chairman of the Bekasi City DPRD Sardi Efendi, head of BJB Bekasi branch Ahmad Faizal, and the Bekasi State Prosecutor Sulvia Triana Hapsari. The event saw the city government earning a MURI record for the simultaneous writing of Qur’an mushaf at the venue, with 1,216 elderly participants from the Lanjut Usia (Lansia) taking part in copying Qur’anic verses together. In addition to the elderly, Gemma Qur’an involved thousands of primary school pupils in Bekasi, with about 8,100 students in classes 4–6 from various primary schools participating online via Zoom. The activity thus engaged a wide spectrum of ages, from the young to the elderly. In a statement, Mayor Bekasi said Gemma Qur’an is part of the city government’s commitment to instilling religious values within the community. ‘Through this Gemma Qur’an activity, we invite all residents to love the Qur’an, not only by reading it but also by writing it as a form of respect for the holy book of the Muslim community,’ Tri said. He added that the involvement of various groups in the event underscored the strong symbol of communal unity in safeguarding spiritual values. ‘The presence of the elderly and thousands of students shows that the zeal to learn the Qur’an knows no age. This is a source of pride for Bekasi City,’ he added. He also urged Muslim students across all Bekasi schools to begin their study day by reading the Qur’an before lessons, saying such a simple habit can be a first step toward building a religious, disciplined, and well-mannered younger generation. The Mayor hopes the initiative will not only mark a moment to set a MURI record but also become a historic event that strengthens the religious character of Bekasi residents. Through this programme, the Bekasi government hopes the momentum of reading and writing the Qur’an will continue to grow in the community, while reinforcing efforts to realise a city that is progressive, prosperous, and of good character.