"The conference comes in response to the conditions prevailing in the Islamic world which is still overshadowed by radicalism, terrorism, internal conflicts and the multidimensional crisis that affects the global world order," Director General of Information and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esti Andayani, said here on Wednesday.
According to Esti, Indonesia has invited 65 influential religious leaders and scholars from 34 countries, including Spain and the United States, 500 Indonesian scholars, academics as well as ambassadors.
"In addition, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah are scheduled to deliver keynote speeches," she noted.
The Muslim scholars conference will also promote the values of Islam, which teaches the believers to respect other religions, among the international community.
As of 2010, over 1.6 billion or about 23.4 percent of the world population comprises Muslims.
About 24.8 percent of the total population in Asia-Oceania considers itself Muslim, 91.2 percent in the Middle East-North Africa does so, 29.6 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa, around six percent in Europe, and 0.6 percent in the Americas considers itself Muslim.
Indonesia has the worlds largest Muslim population (205 million). Roughly 88 percent of Indonesias population is Muslim, and the nation is home to about 13 percent of the worlds Muslims.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
