Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the 14th Congress of GP Ansor, Nahdatul Ulama (NU)`s youth wing organization, here on Thursday.

The opening of the congress was marked by the beating of the drum by the president who was accompanied by GP Ansor`s General Chairman Syaifullah Yusuf, General Chairman of the country`s largest Muslim organization NU Said Agil S, East Java Governor Soekarwo and Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Andi Mallarangeng.

On his remarks when opening the congress the president called on the GP Ansor cadres to organize the congress democratically and in a respectable way.

"In a congress there is the election of the new chairman. I hope this would be carried out democratically in the brotherhood spirit," the president said.

According to the president the matter constituted NU`s strength and culture. "Don`t change this," he said.

The president was conducting a two-day visit, January 13-14, in Surabaya to open the GP Ansor congress and to announce the National Movement for the Handling of Climate Anomalies for Farmers in Indonesia.

One of the important agenda of the 14th Congress of GP Ansor which is being held from January 13 to 17, 2011, is the election of its general chairman.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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