The Portrait of Tolerance at the Inauguration of

Journalist : Metta Wulandari, Doc. Tzu Chi Indonesia, Photographer : Arimami Suryo A.

Hong Tjhin, General Secretary of the Indonesian Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (left) accompanied the signing of the inauguration inscription of the KH Mosque. Moh Ilyas Ruhiat by Rais Aam PBNU KH. Miftachul Akhyar and General Chairperson of PBNU KH Yahya Cholil Staquf.

On wednesday, March 9, 2022, Tzu Chi volunteers attended the inauguration of the KH Mosque. Moh Ilyas Ruhiat at the Nahdlatul Ulama Indonesia University Complex - UNUSIA in Bogor, West Java. This mosque is one of three buildings whose construction was the result of a collaboration between NU and the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation, which was supported by Sinarmas, the Agung Sedayu Group, Indofood, and the Djarum Foundation.

Previously, last October 22, 2019, the UNUSIA Campus was inaugurated together with the Multipurpose Hall Building. After being constrained by the Covid-19 pandemic, the inauguration of the mosque could finally take place today.

"This is a good matchmaking relationship. We have worked closely with PBNU for a long time, starting with the education building, then the multipurpose hall," said Hong Tjhin, General Secretary of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation who was present at the inauguration.

Hong Tjhin, General Secretary of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation, spoke with the General Chair of PBNU KH Yahya Cholil Staquf.

Rais Aam PBNU KH. Miftachul Akhyar gave a speech at the inauguration of the KH. Moh Ilyas Ruhiat.

Hong Tjhin continued, of course, an educational facility would be more complete if it was accompanied by a place of worship. Therefore, Tzu Chi supported the construction of this mosque. "We hope that students, students, teachers and lecturers can use and care for this mosque well," he hoped.

Meanwhile, the General Chairperson of PBNU KH. Yahya Cholil Staquf expressed his gratitude and thanks for the official mosque in the UNUSIA complex. "Hopefully this mosque will become a blessed mosque and a symbol of good cooperation between NU and Tzu Chi as a symbol of tolerance between religious communities," he prayed.

KH. Yahya Cholil Staquf also advised the students to make good use of all the facilities as well as possible so that they could achieve a complete achievement. "Besides, let's keep in mind that all of this can be realized through the collaboration between NU and the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation so that we have a moral responsibility to continue to develop and broadcast an attitude of tolerance and love between religious communities," he stressed.

PBNU General Chair KH Yahya Cholil Staquf beat the drum as a sign of the inauguration of the KH Mosque. Moh Ilyas Ruhiat.

KH Mosque. Moh Ilyas Ruhiat is one of three buildings whose construction was the result of a collaboration between NU and the Indonesian Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation.

The construction of the UNUSIA Campus complex is a form of Tzu Chi's collaboration with PBNU in the fields of education, health, humanity, environmental conservation, and community economic empowerment. This MoU was signed by the General Chairperson of PBNU KH. Said Aqil Siroj (term in office at that time) and Deputy Chairperson of Tzu Chi Indonesia Sugianto Kusuma on June 4, 2019.

Tzu Chi's relationship with NU started a long time ago, in 2015. At that time, Tzu Chi was invited to introduce the Vision and Mission of Tzu Chi and the Bamboo Piggy Bank at the Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School, Jombang, East Java, which was founded by a NU figure, KH. Hasyim Asy'ari.

Three years later (March 2018), the Chairman and Management of PBNU visited the Tzu Chi Center Jakarta to get to know Tzu Chi more deeply. A month later (17-19 April 2018), the Chairperson and Management of PBNU visited Hualien, Taiwan and met the founder of Tzu Chi, Master Cheng Yen. From here, the relationship between the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation and the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) has become closer and warmer.

Translator: Olivia Tan (Tzu Chi Volunteers)