Gus Yahya: 35th NU Congress to Focus on Organisational Programme and Leadership Refreshment
General Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU), KH Yahya Cholil Staquf, familiarly known as “Gus Yahya”, has emphasised that the 35th NU Congress will focus more on discussing the organisation’s programme and leadership renewal for the next five years than on other matters.
He stressed that the five-year programme ahead and the organisation’s leadership will be the main items discussed at the 35th Congress, serving as a forum to determine Nahdlatul Ulama’s direction after the end of the current board’s term.
“There, the programme for the next five years will be discussed, as well as leadership renewal for the next five years, and several other important matters,” he said after attending the National Pesantrenku Aman Movement event at Darul Ilmi Islamic Boarding School in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Tuesday, 11 August 2026.
He noted that the 35th NU Congress is planned to be held at Bahrul Ulum Tambakberas Islamic Boarding School in Jombang, East Java, from 27–31 August 2026.
The congress will serve as Nahdlatul Ulama’s consultative forum to formulate the organisation’s agenda and determine the leadership that will implement the decisions over the following five years.
Ahead of the 35th NU Congress, Nahdlatul Ulama branches in South Kalimantan have communicated a request to Gus Yahya to stand again as PBNU General Chairman for the next term.
“We are fulfilling the request of the branches in South Kalimantan that have already communicated it,” said Gus Yahya.
Before attending the National Pesantrenku Aman Movement event at Darul Ilmi Islamic Boarding School in Banjarbaru, Gus Yahya attended a meeting of several Nahdlatul Ulama Branch Boards (PCNU) across South Kalimantan in Banjarbaru on Tuesday (11/8) to receive the aspirations of NU branches in South Kalimantan regarding PBNU leadership.
At the meeting, Gus Yahya inaugurated a number of PCNU in South Kalimantan, namely PCNU of Banjarbaru City, Banjarmasin City, Tanah Bumbu, Tanah Laut, Barito Kuala, South Hulu Sungai, Central Hulu Sungai, Balangan, and Alabio.