Gus Dur opens Islamic seminar

Gus Dur opens Islamic seminar

SEMARANG: President Abdurrahman Wahid is slated to open the
International Seminar and Camp on Religion for all-Indonesia
Islamic Institutes and Universities here on Monday.

"The seminar is aimed at positioning Islam and the humanism
issue in its real context," rector of the Walisongo State
Institute of Islamic Studies Qodri A. Azizy said on Saturday.

"Many people still do not understand the true content of
Islamic teaching, such as erroneously identifying Islam with
violence like in the Middle East cases. The real Islamic teaching
values human rights, manners and gender roles," Qodri said.

Among prominent speakers in the seminar that will last until
Nov. 8 are Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid and philosopher Franz
Magnis Suseno.

Some 1,500 participants have registered for the camp which
will be held in Sumurejo camping ground of Gunungpati district
here. (har/edt)