VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy in Rabat in collaboration with the Moroccan Embassy in Jakarta, the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia, and the Moroccan Alumni Association in Indonesia (HIMAMI) have organized an International Webinar themed "The Treasure of Indonesian and Moroccan Islamic Scientific Interaction" on Thursday, 15 October 2020.

This webinar activity is part of a series of activities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of RI-Morocco diplomatic relations.

The webinar was officially opened by the Middle East Director, Bagus Hendraning Kobarsyih. The Indonesian Ambassador in Rabat, Hasrul Azwar, and the Ambassador of Morocco in Jakarta, Ouadia Benabdillah also gave the opening remarks.

The Middle East Director in his speech emphasized that scientific interaction between the two countries had existed long before entering the 20th century.

Indonesia and Morocco are not only strategic partners in promoting moderate Islam in the international arena, but the two countries also have closeness and similarities in Islamic features.

"Through this International Webinar, it is hoped that the cooperation between Indonesia and Morocco, especially in education and Islamic scientific studies, can continue and develop with the intensification of cooperation and mutual visits between academics, scholars and students between the two countries," explained Bagus Hendraning.

As a resource person in the Webinar, Prof. Dr. Amani Lubis from UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Prof. Dr. Eka Putra Wirman from UIN Imam Bonjol Padang, Prof. Dr. Mohammed Rougi, Chancellor of Univ. Al-Qarawiyyin, Fes; and Dr. Khalid Zahri, Lecturer at Univ. Abdel Malik ben Saadi, highlighted various aspects of scientific, cultural, and historical interactions that have existed between Indonesia and Morocco both in the past and in modern times.

The thing that should be underlined according to the speakers is how this scientific interaction can be optimized for the interests of the two countries, by taking advantage of advances in existing communication technology, especially between universities.

Related to this, Prof. Amani Lubis who is also the Chancellor of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta, said that his party is currently realizing the plan to establish an Indonesian Study Center at Ibn Tofail Univ, Kenitra, Morocco.

On the other hand, the Webinar also discussed how good people to people relations between the two countries can encourage increased economic relations.

The 60th anniversary of RI-Morocco diplomatic relations will then be filled with a series of other activities, namely the activity of a Webinar on cooperation between Local Governments in the two countries on October 22, 2020, and there will be a Webinar between Kadins of the two countries, virtual business meetings, screening of national films/Indonesian documentaries on Moroccan TV and vice versa, and exhibitions on culture, art and trade promotion by respective Embassies. (VOI)