Islamic students to meet Holy See in Vatican

Members of the Islamic Students Association (HMI) are scheduled to meet with the Holy See in the Vatican City on Saturday to invite Pope Benedictus XVI to visit Indonesia and to discuss pluralism.

According to HMI Internal Relations chief Nuhammad Makmoen Abdullah the group would soon send the official invitation.

"So, this is a sort of early notice," Nuhammad said on his way to Rome, Italy, on Friday, as reported by kompas.com.
 
He added that the group planned to invite the Pope to deliver a keynote speech at an international meeting on peace and pluralism in Bali in October 2012.

The president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, who oversees the religious relations with Muslims. Besides Makmoen, other delegates include HMI chairman Noer Fajrieansyah and HMI Secretary General Basri Dodo.

Basri said the meeting with the Holy See would help broaden the minds of HMI members in regards to universal and moderate Islam.