Ahmad Dhani, NU, Islam dan Amerika Serikat

C. Holland Taylor's Speech at the Libforall Award Ceremony

Held at the Nadhlatul Ulama's Headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia

June 17, 2005

Thank you for coming today. I also wish to thank His Excellency Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid, for hosting this event at the Nadhlatul Ulama’s central office. My name is C. Holland Taylor, and I’m the CEO of Libforall Foundation. Our mission is to promote the culture of liberty, tolerance and justice, with a particular focus on Indonesia and the Islamic world. Our focus on Indonesia is rooted in the belief that this nation is destined to serve as an inspiration for people of good will searching for peace and tolerance in a deeply divided and conflicted world. Among scholars of Islam, Indonesia has a reputation as the most liberal and tolerant of all Muslim countries. Unfortunately, in recent years, this reputation has been threatened by bombing incidents and the violence in Sulawesi and the Malukus. Rather than look upon Indonesia as a source of spiritual wisdom and guidance for the rest of the world, foreigners all too often believe that Indonesia is plagued by religious extremism and terrorist attacks that make it unsafe to invest here, or even visit. This, in turn, threatens the welfare and prosperity of all Indonesians, as investment capital flows to other countries that are perceived to be more tranquil and secure. President Yudhoyono is working to reduce corruption and provide a secure environment for all Indonesians, and their foreign guests. We applaud SBY on his efforts and wish him and his administration much success. However, we feel it’s also important to inform Western audiences—and investment decision makers—that Indonesia is a land where ancient traditions of peace, inner spirituality, religious pluralism and tolerance are alive and well, as leading cultural figures work to reduce religious extremism inspired by foreign elements. That is why Libforall Foundation is working with Ahmad Dhani and the members of Dewa to promote Indonesia’s good name, in America and other Western countries. Later this summer, we will conduct a press campaign to present Dewa and their album Laskar Cinta to the American public as a revival of the Indonesian/Javanese tradition of religious diversity and tolerance. In fact, Laskar Cinta may be among the most significant projects to promote the culture of liberty and tolerance undertaken anywhere in the Muslim world in recent years. We have chosen to work with Dewa because of the excellence of their music, the sincerity of their beliefs, and their courage to speak out in favor of peace and tolerance in a world all too often divided by violence and hatred. Ahmad Dhani is a Sufi Muslim, whose love for God and for Islam is evident in his music, and to all who know him. Once is a Christian, whose love for God is equally clear and strong. The other members of Dewa are also devout Muslims who value their faith, while respecting those who worship or believe differently. We believe that Dewa represents all that is best in the Indonesian tradition of religious tolerance and diversity. The songs on Laskar Cinta continue the venerable Sufi tradition of worshipping God through profound love poetry, set to contemporary music. Their lyrics call upon Indonesians of every age, faith and ethnicity to unite in fulfilling this great land’s destiny, so that—filled with peace, prosperity and justice—it can serve as an example to all the world. At this time, I am honored to present the Libforall Award to the members of the group DEWA—Dhani, Once, Andra, Tyo and Yuke—and ask His Excellency Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid to join me in doing so, as Libforall Foundation’s patron and advisor. We give this award in recognition of Dewa’s outstanding contribution to world peace, by communicating the values of spiritual love, freedom and tolerance to millions of listeners in Indonesia and abroad.