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)