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nter-religious leaders Saturday threw their support behind the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) conference, saying they hoped the forum would run peacefully and benefit the nation.

"Together we must support the conference so that it can yield outcomes that will help develop the nation," Father F. Sopamena, chief of the South and West Sulawesi Churches, said Saturday.

The week-long conference will commence on Monday and will be attended by more than 7,000 participants from across Indonesia, as well as 50 NU branches overseas.

As many as 35 ambassadors and 45 world religious leaders are expected to attend the event, which will be officially opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Yongris of the Buddhist community said that religious leaders from all faiths should promote a peaceful and harmonious event.

"We must be good hosts," he said.

NU, which was founded in 1926, is considered the largest social and religious organization, with an estimated 50 million members.

Muslim-based organizations including Muhammadiyah, the Darul Dakwah Islamiah, Wahdah Islamiah, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and the Indonesian Mosque Youth Coordinating Board, also pledged their support for the event. The organizations attended a coordination meeting on Saturday.

Makassar Mayor Ilham Arief Sirajuddin expressed hope the peaceful atmosphere during the conference would help tone down the city's tarnished image due to recent violent rallies.

"We hope the NU conference will help counter the negative image of Makassar, which is associated with riots, rallies and clashes," Ilham said.

The rallies staged in the wake of the Bank Century bailout case became violent with university students clashing with the police and local residents. Several public facilities were damaged during the riots.

"We appeal to the community not to stage rallies during the conference," the mayor said.

Authorities are set to deploy 2,000 police and military person-nel to safeguard the opening ce-remony.

Makassar military chief Lt. Col. Syaiful Anwar said the military would help safeguard the forum during the arrival of the President and Vice President, while the police would monitor the event after they had left.

"This is just a standard security policy. It has no relation to possible rallies by the students and other social groups during the President's arrival," Syaiful said.

South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Adang Rochjana, said more than 12,000 police officers would be on alert across the province.