Santri Summit 2025: UIN Jakarta Affirms Santri's Role in Nation-Building in the Global Era

Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN Online News – To strengthen the role of santris (Islamic boarding school students) in the global arena, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, through the Community of Santri Scholars of Ministry of Religious Affairs (CSSMoRA), held the Santri Summit Festival 2025 themed "Santris' Contribution to the Nation" on Sunday (June 29, 2025).

The Santri Summit 2025 brought together hundreds of participants from diverse pesantren (Islamic boarding school) backgrounds, all part of the CSSMoRA network across Indonesia. They gathered to expand their knowledge and experience and to build collaborations aimed at empowering santris to be competitive.

In his welcoming remarks, UIN Jakarta Rector, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., expressed his welcome and appreciation to all participants and parties who initiated the event, stating, “This event is a source of joy and an opportunity to be consolidated into a collective spirit for achieving common goals.”

Furthermore, Prof. Asep hopes that this activity can be a starting point for building shared awareness and attention toward the importance of santris' role in advancing the nation.

Concurring, Director of Pesantren at the Directorate General of Islamic Education, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. H. Basnang Said, S.Ag., M.Ag., also attended and shared his perspective on the importance of the evolving role of santris in the era of independence. He emphasized that the role of santris today has shifted from a physical struggle against colonialism to a struggle to fill independence with tangible works and contributions.

“Santris must show their devotion to the nation and state through professional and responsible means, for the sake of the progress of our beloved country,” he stated.

Additionally, Dr. H. Basnang added that activities like the Santri Summit should not stop in 2025. According to him, this event must become a sustainable program that continuously encourages the systematic and ongoing empowerment of santris.

“We must support making this a continuous activity so that the spirit and role of santris in nation-building become stronger,” he added.

The series of events at the Santri Summit Festival 2025 included talk shows, art performances, and public outreach. In the talk show sessions, participants engaged in discussions with speakers who are young figures, academics, and santri influencers who have successfully built careers in various fields.

It is known that the event, a collaboration with UIN Jakarta's Community of Santri Scholars of Ministry of Religious Affairs (CSSMoRA), Youtz Media, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, was attended by a number of national figures, academics, and dozens of young influencers and content creators from various fields.

Several influencers were also scheduled to fill the provided sessions, including Rinaldi Nur Ibrahim, Risty Tagor, Inara Rusli, Shakira Amirah, Wirda Mansur, Dr. Elza Amelia Firdaus, EL Alice, Fildzah Izzati Ismah, Rian Fahardhi, Ang Sharly, Raihan Habib, Fardi Yandi, Raden Hanif, Teuku Daffa, and content creator Bicara Pede.

These influencers will share their experiences and knowledge across various fields, from talk shows on mental health and Islamic spirituality, career and writing, maintaining Islamic values in the Gen Z era, to tips on becoming a beneficial content creator.

Besides talk shows, the event series will feature artistic performances, public outreach, video screenings, and awards for creative video competitions. The activities are open to students and the general public free of charge.

(Sabila Weliza/Zaenal M./Fauziah M./Noeni Indah S. Foto: PIH)