Prabowo Scheduled to Attend Gontor's 100th Anniversary Today
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya has confirmed that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to attend the thanksgiving reception for the 100th anniversary of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor in Ponorogo, East Java, on Saturday (19/9).
Teddy also confirmed that President Prabowo will officially inaugurate the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Darussalam (Unida) Gontor, located within the university campus complex.
“It is true [that the President will visit Gontor],” said Cabinet Secretary Teddy when confirmed by ANTARA.
It is noted that President Prabowo’s presence at the event serves as a form of state support for the development of Islamic boarding school (pesantren) education and human resources.
The President, accompanied by several ministers from the Red and White Cabinet and regional heads, is scheduled to arrive in East Java via Iswahjudi Airbase in Magetan by plane, before continuing the journey by helicopter to the Unida Gontor campus.
Following the inauguration of the Faculty of Medicine, the President will proceed to Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor to participate in the series of thanksgiving receptions marking a century of the Islamic educational institution, which has been established since 1926.
During the event, the Leader of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor, KH Hasan Abdullah Sahal, is scheduled to deliver a welcoming address to the President and invited guests.
The Deputy Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Egypt, Mohamed Abdelrahman Eldeweny, is also scheduled to deliver a speech regarding the long-standing educational and scholarly ties between Gontor and Egypt spanning several decades.
President Prabowo is subsequently scheduled to deliver a speech before members of the Gontor Modern Board of Waqf, teachers, students (santri), alumni, and invited guests from various regions across Indonesia and abroad.
The President’s itinerary in Gontor will conclude with a photo session with the teaching staff and students before his return to Jakarta.