“Portrait of Muslims in the USA” at Pesantren Khoiriyah Hasyim

JOMBANG, Indonesia –April 15, 2009. An alumnus of the International Visitor Program 2007, Nur Hidayat, hosted a discussion entitled, “Portrait of Muslims in the USA” with over 120 students and teachers at his pesantren (Islamic Boarding School) Khoiriyah Hasyim, Seblak, Jombang. This pesantren is a very well respected institution in the area. It was established in the 1920s by Khoiriyah Hasyim, daughter of KH Hasyim Asy’ari, the founder of Nadhlatul Ulama, the biggest Muslim organization in Indonesia.

Consul General Caryn McClelland gave a presentation about Muslim Life in the U.S., explaining that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the U.S. CG also shared with the audience President Obama’s recent speech to the Turkish parliament about relations with the Muslim world. Students and teachers asked questions about the daily life of Muslims in the U.S, misperceptions about Islam and terrorism, as well as the future of US-Indonesia relations. There were also questions about scholarships, exchanges, and education opportunities in the U.S. CG used this opportunity to encourage students to be more pro-active and make use of the available Education USA offices and American Corners in Surabaya and Malang, nearby cities. At the conclusion of the program, CG donated some books to the school’s library.

Sumber: Konsulat Jenderal AS di Surabaya