JEDDAH: About 700 Muslims scholars and religious experts from 80 countries are attending the 11th international conference of the Riyadh-based World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), which was opened in Indonesian capital Jakarta on Sunday. Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali inaugurated the two-day conference at Hotel Sultan. According to WAMY Secretary-General Dr. Saleh Al-Wohaibi, several world Muslim figures are attending the gathering. The dignitaries include Saudi Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh, Saudi Islamic scholars Sheikh Abdullah Al-Manie and Sheikh Salman Al-Audah, former Sudanese religious affairs minister Sheikh Essam Al-Bashir and Islamic preacher Amr Khaled. The conference will include seminars, discussions and workshops that would focus on the role of Muslim youths in promoting social development. The recommendations of the meeting will be sent to concerned parties, such as the governments or ministries of WAMY member countries, organizations and others. The heaviest task of WAMY will be implementing the results of the meeting in the field, Al-Wohaibi said.
WAMY Southeast Asia representative Makmur Hasanuddin said “the main task of WAMY is educating and developing Muslim youths. WAMY also carries out various social activities such as developing mosques and extending aid to natural disaster victims.” Al-Wohaibi said his organization would contribute its efforts to keep Muslim youths away from extremism.
“Youths are really the main target of those extremist groups as well as those deviant thinkers,” he told reporters. Al-Wohaibi appreciated Indonesian Muslim youths for their steadfastness in showing solidarity with their fellow Muslims, especially with regard to the struggle of the Palestinian people in defending their homeland. He emphasized the need to work out a comprehensive action program that seeks to reclaim this vulnerable section of the society through measures that are inspirational in their scope and dimension – Arabnews
