Interfaith leaders get together in Kudus Govt's "Halal Bihalal"

Kudus, C Java, (ANTARA News) - This year's amicable get-together in the wake of eid al-Fitr that Indonesians often call the event as halal bihalal in the Central Java city of Kudus looked different.

Unlike the halal bihalal events in recent years that were only dominated by Muslim leaders, this year, the figures from Catholicism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Kong Hu Cu as well as those from the indigenous community of Samin were also present.

At the event, that is always ended with banquet, Head of Kudus District Musthofa accompanied by the district government's top officials stood in line to welcome the interfaith leaders and other guests.

He also shook hands with thousands of civil servants, who attended the halal bihalal event taking place inside a Javanese traditional pavilion of Pendopo on July 22.

Musthofa said this year's halal bihalal was different from the previous ones because the government also invited the figures from different religious communities.

The invitation was a gesture of tolerance and religious harmony with which people in Kudus District have lived as the legacy of Sunan Kudus, one of Wali Songo (nine Islamic saints that disseminated Islam in Java Island),he said.

"We do believe that all religions teach good things. May what we do in Kudus be a good example for other regions," he said.

Musthofa thanked the interfaith leaders and figures of Samin community for attending the amicable gathering in the wake of Idul Fitri or Lebaran.

Suparno, local Buddhist leader, said he was happy to receive the Kudus District Government's invitation because the objective of the halal bihalal event could help strengthen the religious harmony in the area.