Bahasa Indonesia Officially Becomes Second Language of Al Azhar University of Egypt

By Office of Assistant to Deputy Cabinet Secretary for State Documents & Translation     Date 13 Oktober 2019
Category: News
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The Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation at Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, pose for a photo with the Indonesian Ambassador in Cairo Helmy Fauzy and members of the language consortium after the inauguration of Bahasa Indonesia as the second language of the University. (Photo by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Bahasa Indonesia has officially become the second language at Al Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

The inauguration of Bahasa Indonesia as the second language was carried out through a ceremony by the Al-Azhar University’s Languages and Translation Faculty in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo, at the Al-Azhar University’s Languages and Translation Faculty Hall, Wednesday (9/10).

Indonesian Ambassador in Cairo Helmy Fauzy stated that among the main objectives of teaching Bahasa Indonesia in Al-Azhar was that the language was widely used by the majority of Southeast Asian nations, where the majority of the population are Muslims.

Furthermore, many works of the region’s Islamic scholars and thinkers are not widely known by thinkers in the Arabian Peninsula. Also, these countries need scholars and preachers from Al Azhar who master local traditions and culture.

“I also thank Al-Azhar for making Bahasa Indonesia as the second language in the Al-Azhar Faculty of Languages and Translation,” Helmi stated.

In addition, theĀ  Chancellor of Al Azhar University Mohamed Husein al-Mahrashawi stated that the teaching of Bahasa Indonesia as a second language is the first step in preparing for the opening of the Bahasa Indonesia Study Program at Al Azhar.

On the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor of Al Azhar University Yusuf Amir expressed hope that during this preparation period, lecturers candidates who will teach at this study program can be prepared.

“In addition, we hope that students who currently choose Bahasa Indonesia as a second language, will be given the opportunity to study in Indonesia for 2 years so that they can master Bahasa Indonesia from the sources,” Yusuf Amir said.

In the meantime, the Dean of the Languages and Translation Faculty said that this transition period must be put to good use by the Indonesian Embassy and Al-Azhar.

For the records, there are four lecturers who will teach Bahasa Indonesia as a second language in the University. “The (lecturers) have become part of us. We will ease all obstacles encountered and will protect them,” the Dean said. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs /ES)

 

Translated by : Fairuzzamani Inayatillah
Edited by : Ridwan Ibadurrohman, Yuyu Mulyani

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