President Prabowo Attends Centennial Celebration of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor

President Prabowo Subianto attended the Centennial Celebration of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor (PMDG), a prominent Islamic boarding school in Indonesia, at the Balai Pertemuan Pondok Modern (BPPM) meeting hall at Gontor’s main campus for male students in Ponorogo regency, East Java province, on Saturday (09/19). The centennial marked a moment of gratitude for Gontor’s century-long contribution to education, as well as an opportunity to reflect on its service as it enters its second century.

Upon arrival, the President was welcomed by thousands of students waving Indonesian Red and White flags. He was received by PMDG Waqf Board Chair K.H. M. Hidayat Nur Wahid, along with Gontor leaders K.H. Hasan Abdullah Sahal and K.H. Muhammad Akrim Mariyat.

The event commenced with the national anthem, “Indonesia Raya,” followed by the Gontor hymn “Oh Pondokku.” Guests then heard the Qur’an recitation of verses 70–73 of Surah Al-Ahzab, followed by a collective prayer led by the PMDG Waqf Board chair.

In his remarks, K.H. Hasan Abdullah Sahal reflected on PMDG’s century-long service to the community, nation, and world. He said Gontor’s founders had sincerely dedicated their ideas, values, system, institution, and love to Indonesia.

“Hopefully, Mr. President and the Indonesian people are among those who receive the blessing of love from this institution, and that we may all love one another,” he said.

Following his remarks, K.H. Hasan Abdullah Sahal presented the President with the books Gontor untuk Indonesia and Mushaf Gontor. The latter is among the legacies marking PMDG’s centennial. Its writing began in 2023 and involved Gontor students and teachers.

Guests then watched a video titled “Perjalanan 100 Tahun Gontor Mengabdi untuk Bangsa dan Dunia” (“100 Years of Gontor Serving the Nation and the World”), which shared the institution’s century-long journey. The program continued with remarks by Deputy Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Prof. Dr. Muhammed Abdelrahman Mohamed Eldweny.

President Prabowo subsequently addressed the Gontor community and thousands of guests, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to join them in commemorating the institution’s historic centennial.

“We are grateful for the health and breath of life still granted to us, enabling us to gather in this noble place for this very special occasion, the Centennial Celebration of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor in Ponorogo, East Java,” he said.

More than 8,000 guests attended the celebration, including leaders of state institutions, ministers of the Red and White Cabinet, ambassadors of friendly nations, leaders of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri), regional heads, leaders of Islamic organizations, Islamic boarding school leaders, academics, alumni, and members of the wider PMDG community.

Following the main program, President Prabowo signed two inscriptions, including one for the inauguration of the renovated BPPM hall and another for the inauguration of the Faculty of Medicine at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor.

The BPPM is one of Gontor’s historic buildings. The building, originally known as the Balai Pertemuan Kaum Muslimin (BPKM), was first built around 1933–1934 and has undergone several renovations. The latest reconstruction began in July 2024 as part of preparations for Gontor’s centennial.

Meanwhile, the Faculty of Medicine at UNIDA Gontor represents an educational legacy marking PMDG’s entry into its second century. Together, the two facilities reflect Gontor’s continued development from Islamic boarding-school education toward strengthening higher education and expanding its broader service to society. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (FI/MMB)