Indonesian Muslim Students At Vatican To Invite Pope

Agenzia Fides reports that the Association of Indonesian Muslim Students (Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam, HMI) has invited Pope Benedict XVI to Indonesia to an International Conference on Dialogue and Peace to be held in Bali October 2012.

President of the HMI, Noer Fajrieansyah led a delegation to the Vatican to extend the invitation to Pope Benedict. The delegation was met by Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

The leaders of the Islamic association are in the Vatican on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Twin Towers attack, September 11, 2001.  HMI  together with other Indonesian groups such as the Islamic Movement (GPI), the Indonesian Muslim Workers Union (BBDC), the Islam Defenders' Front (FPI) and the Muslim Student Action Front (KAMM ) had a decade ago, protested against the U.S. bombing and military intervention in Afghanistan.

HMI is the oldest and most influential Muslim student association in Indonesia. It was founded in 1947 and has produced several moderate Muslim intelletuals such as Nurcolish Madjid (1939-2005). It is also one of the largest Islamic organisation in Indonesia with over one million members.

"Today, Muslim students have once again embarked, peremptorily, the path of dialogue and pluralism, and intend to work next to Christian and other religious organizations, to build inter-religious harmony and combat extremism and fundamentalism in Indonesia. This is why they seek support from the Indonesian Church and the Holy See", reports Fides.