Religious leaders to gather for peace prayers
Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang
Around 350 Buddhist monks from 31 countries and a number of prominent Indonesian religious leaders will gather for a peace prayer ceremony on Friday in the Borobudur Temple complex in Magelang, Central Java.
Event organizing committee chairman KB Sutrisno said on Tuesday that before partaking in the World Peace Prayer ceremony, the delegates would visit the Yogyakarta Kraton where Sultan Hamengkubuwono X would cordially greet them.
The delegations of male and female monks will include those from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, South Korea, India, Hong Kong and Macau.
Also present will be monks from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Britain, Switzerland, Laos, the United States, Bangladesh and Denmark, as well as observers from China.
Indonesian participants include Muslim scholars Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and Nurcholish "Cak Nur" Madjid, Indonesian Bishops Conference chairman Julius Kardinal Darmaatmadja, Communion of Indonesian Churches leader Nathan Setiabudi and Moral Indonesian Reconciliation Movement chairman Habib Chirzin.
Indonesian Confucian Highest Assembly (Matakin) chairman Budi Santoso Tanuwibowo, Hindu priest Ida Resi Dwijawanti and leader of the Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace (ICRP) Djohan Effendi will also attend.
The prayer ceremony is sponsored by the World Buddhist Sangha Council (WBSC) executive conference in observance of the end of 2003, Sutrisno told a news conference, accompanied by WBSC official Bikkhu Sri Pannyavaro Mahathera.
Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Munawar is scheduled to open the gathering.
"What is of great importance in holding the World Peace Prayer is to respond to evil crimes like terrorist attacks that have taken place across the globe including Indonesia," Mahathera said.
"We hope the prayers would permeate and bring the message of peace, wisdom and love for all people," he added.
Mahathera said the Buddhist monks want to bring peace, and it must start from deep within their heart as a candle for others.
Sutrisno further said the event was hoped to instill a spiritual experience for the participating religious leaders from several parts of the world and bring good news that Indonesia is a safe place to visit, unlike what has so far been reported in the foreign media.
Besides the event, a Buddhist conference on education and culture will be held on Dec. 18.
Furthermore, the delegation will attend the opening ceremony of the Mahavira Graha temple at Marina Beach in Semarang which would later be closed by the president and secretary general of the World Buddhist Sangha Council.
Earlier on Thursday, the monks will convene for a conference of world Buddhist leaders in Jakarta to discuss cooperation in culture and education.