Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo welcomed the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Imam Akbar Ahmed Al Tayeb, for a state visit at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday. This visit is part of the Grand Sheikh's Southeast Asia tour, which also includes stops in Malaysia and Thailand.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi explained that this is the Grand Sheikh's third visit to Indonesia, following his previous visits in 2016 and 2018. The main purpose of his visit is to promote moderate Islam and interfaith dialogue.

“During the meeting, the President mentioned that the Grand Sheikh’s visit, and later—God willing, in September—the visit of the Pope, will convey a very strong message about the importance of peace and tolerance,” said Foreign Minister Retno on Tuesday.

Pope Francis is scheduled for a Sept. 2-13 trip to Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Singapore. In Jakarta, he’ll preside over an interfaith meeting at the capital’s Istiqlal Mosque, expected to be attended by leaders of the six religions in Indonesia that are officially recognized and protected: Islam, Protestant, Catholic, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism..

Minister Retno also said that several key issues were discussed, including the condition of Indonesian students at Al-Azhar University in Egypt and efforts to combat extremist movements and Islamophobia.

According to the Grand Sheikh, the condition and learning process of Indonesian students at Al-Azhar University are currently running smoothly. He mentioned that he had never received significant complaints from Indonesian citizens studying at the university.

"The Grand Sheikh said that more than 13,000 Indonesian nationals are currently studying at Al-Azhar University. He mentioned that he has never received any complaints from Indonesian students. This shows the good character of Indonesian students," said the Foreign Minister.

Furthermore, during the meeting, President Jokowi expressed his appreciation for the Egyptian government's efforts, particularly Al-Azhar's consistent advocacy for peace in Gaza and Palestine.

President Jokowi remarked that these efforts are highly inspiring, especially for domestic educational institutions.

"The President also acknowledged that the Egyptian government and Al-Azhar have provided substantial humanitarian aid and consistently advocated for peace. The President stated that this call for peace is invaluable for the Palestinian people," added the Foreign Minister.

President Jokowi also emphasized the importance of collaboration between educational institutions to reduce extremist movements and Islamophobia.

"The President stressed the significance of joint efforts to enhance tolerance and peace through interfaith dialogue to prevent the growth of extremism and Islamophobia," concluded the Foreign Minister.