Some young Australian Muslim leaders have participated in a bilateral exchange programme in Indonesia aimed at strengthening links and understanding of Islam in both countries, an Australian Embassy media release said. Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said this delegation reflected the broad cultural diversity of Australia’s Muslim community, comprising three male and two female participants from Melbourne, Sydney and Perth with ethnic backgrounds from Egypt, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan and South Africa. During their two-week programme (17-31 May 2009) they visited Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Bandung and met community, education and religious leaders, civil society, academics, government officials and media representatives. Their programme also included attendance at an Australian sponsored summit on “Women and Leadership in Islamic Education” in Surabaya, a meeting at the Wahid Institute and a round-table discussion at the Centre for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilizations in Jakarta. Between March-June 2009, three Indonesian Muslim delegations will make reciprocal visits to Australia on this Australia-Indonesia Exchange Programme for Young Muslim Leaders (MEP). The third and final Indonesian delegation will depart for Australia in June 2009.
AUSTRALIAN MUSLIM DELEGATE IN INDONESIA
Some young Australian Muslim leaders have participated in a bilateral exchange programme in Indonesia aimed at strengthening links and understanding of Islam in both countries, an Australian Embassy media release said.
