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Dr. Nasaruddin Umar, the Grand Imam of Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque with Pope Francis at the interreligious meeting in Jakarta on September 5 Dr. Nasaruddin Umar, the Grand Imam of Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque with Pope Francis at the interreligious meeting in Jakarta on September 5  (Vatican Media)

Imam Nasaruddin: 'Indonesia can be a model of interfaith dialogue'

Before meeting with Pope Francis and signining the Joint Declaration on interfaith friendship, the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque highlights the importance of fraternal coexistence, saying Indonesia offers the world a positive example of interreligious dialogue.

By Linda Bordoni and Lisa Zengarini

Indonesia can be a model of interreligious dialogue for humanity, says Dr. Nasaruddin Umar, the Grand Imam of Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque. 

Speaking to Vatican News' Linda Bordoni just a few minutes before the interreligious meeting with Pope Francis in the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, the 65-year-old Imam underscored the importance of the event for Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world.

“We are of course very happy to meet the Pope here in this important mosque,” he said.  

Dr. Nasaruddin also highlighted the particular significance of the Joint Declaration of Istiqlal 2024 on interfaith friendship he was about to sign with Pope Francis.

The document, he explained, is focused on two key messages: “The first one is that humanity is only one, and the second one is how to save our environment.”

Indonesia's diversity in unity, he concluded, is the best example of interfaith dialogue in the world.

Listen to the interview

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05 September 2024, 10:53