COVID-19 Pandemic Becomes Background for Accelerating PBNU's 2026 Congress

JAKARTA - The Chairman of Education, Law, and Media Affairs of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU), Muhammad Mukri, explained that the COVID-19 pandemic serves as the background for accelerating the 35th PBNU Congress to August 2026.

He stated that the PBNU congress tradition is indeed held in August. However, during the 34th PBNU Congress in Lampung, the COVID-19 pandemic was still ongoing, necessitating a postponement until December 2021.

“It should have been in August for the Congress, but due to COVID-19 at that time, there was a delay of several months,” said Mukri to Kompas.com via telephone on Monday (4/5/2026).

“Now, through the plenary meeting, they want the congress to be returned to August 2026,” he added.

Mukri said that the proposal for the implementation date has already been submitted by PBNU’s Rais Aam, Miftachul Akhyar, to hold the congress from 1-5 August 2026.

“The matter of the location is entirely left to the PBNU Chairman and Rais Aam, whether in Surabaya or Jakarta, or another location, that has not been decided yet,” he stated.

The same was expressed by PBNU Secretary General Saifullah Yusuf or Gus Ipul. He affirmed that the Nahdlatul Ulama Congress will be held in August 2026.

“The result of the PBNU plenary meeting has instructed that the Congress be held immediately in August 2026. So the Congress is mandatory in August,” said Gus Ipul, who has also been appointed as the Chairman of the NU Congress Committee, as reported by tribunnews.com.

According to Gus Ipul, the directive to accelerate the Congress implementation has also been conveyed by PBNU’s Rais Aam, KH Miftachul Akhyar.