Indonesia to Host IGIC 2026: Epicentre of World Religious Diplomacy

Indonesia is preparing to cement its position as the centre of gravity for moderate Islamic dialogue worldwide through the hosting of the International Grand Imams Conference (IGIC) 2026. The international forum, scheduled for September 2026, carries the major theme ‘Mosque Harmony, Religious Diplomacy, and Global Peace’. The conference, initiated by the Ittihad Persaudaraan Imam Masjid (IPIM) network, is designed to bring together influential imams and religious figures from various parts of the world. Its primary focus is to revitalise the role of the mosque not merely as a place of worship, but as a centre of social harmony and global civilisation. Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar stressed that mosque imams hold a strategic position in determining the direction of the ummah’s civilisation. During a consolidation of the imam network in Makassar, he described the mosque as a space for the transformation of values. ‘An imam is a moderator between humans and their God, while the mosque is the meeting point. Therefore, imams bear a great responsibility to uphold the peaceful, moderate, and compassionate values of Islam for all humanity,’ said Nasaruddin Umar. He added that through IGIC 2026, Indonesia wants to show the inclusive face of Islam to the world. ‘We want to demonstrate that Indonesia is capable of presenting Islam as a religion that brings peace, not tension. Indonesia will appear as the centre of modern Islamic world civilisation,’ he asserted. The Chairman of the IGIC 2026 Steering Committee, M Sabilul Alif, explained that preparations for the grand forum have begun through the ‘Bridging Road to IGIC 2026’ programme. South Sulawesi became one of the crucial points in uniting the vision of imams at the national level before stepping onto the international stage. ‘This is not just socialisation, but a movement to unite the vision that imams have a great mission to spread tolerance. The mosque must become a fortress of community unity,’ said Sabilul Alif. Furthermore, he highlighted the challenges of the times that imams must face today, ranging from radicalism and value crises to technological disruption. Imams are expected to become agents of social development capable of guiding the younger generation. In addition to strengthening intellectual and spiritual capacity, IGIC 2026 also carries a humanitarian mission by encouraging greater attention to the welfare of imams and their families. This is considered crucial so that community leaders can carry out their guidance roles optimally without economic constraints. By bringing together world religious leaders, IGIC 2026 is projected to become one of the largest religious forums affirming Indonesia’s role as a node of global harmony based on the values of Rahmatan lil ’Alamin.