Pontianak, 13 July 2025 — The Rector of IAIN Pontianak, Prof. Dr. H. Syarif, S.Ag., MA, officially assigned Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samsul Hidayat, MA, a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at IAIN Pontianak, to represent the institution and serve as a presenter at The Eleventh Nishan Forum on World Civilizations. This prestigious global forum was held from 7–12 July 2025 in Qufu City, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China, under the theme “Beauty in Diversity: Nurturing Understanding Among Civilizations for Global Modernization.”
The assignment was based on the official invitation from The Secretariat of Nishan Forum on World Civilizations dated 20 May 2025 and a request letter from the faculty submitted on 13 June 2025. All travel, accommodation, and meal expenses for this event were covered by the forum’s organizing committee.
During the forum, Dr. Samsul Hidayat presented a paper titled “Encountering Civilizational Ethics: Islamic Wasathiyah and Confucian Zhong Yong in Constructing a Civilized Global Modernity.” The paper was the result of an in-depth comparative study of two ethical principles of moderation originating from different traditions but sharing a universal goal: wasathiyah (وسطية) in Islam and zhong yong (中庸) in Confucianism. Both concepts emphasize the importance of the middle path, balance, and harmony as the foundation for inter-civilizational dialogue.
Dr. Samsul emphasized that in the context of globalization, these two principles can serve as an inclusive and adaptive global ethical paradigm to address modern civilizational challenges such as religious extremism, identity conflicts, cultural polarization, and environmental crises. Based on textual analysis of primary sources—the Qur’an and Hadith for wasathiyah, and the Analects and Doctrine of the Mean for zhong yong—as well as interviews with religious leaders in Indonesia and Malaysia, the research identified fundamental similarities in the spiritual, social, and intellectual balance upheld by both traditions.
The presentation also highlighted concrete evidence of the practical application of these moderation principles in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. In Pontianak, for example, the principles of wasathiyah and zhong yong were manifested through interfaith collaboration in the Bhakti 28 Firefighters Foundation, involving Muslim and Confucian volunteers in land fire mitigation, as well as the Sahabat Eco-Bhineka Muhammadiyah (SEKA) movement, which organized joint tree-planting activities across religious communities. These practices not only strengthened social solidarity but also fostered interfaith ecological awareness.
In Malaysia, the application of these moderation principles was demonstrated through the Global Movement of Moderates Foundation (GMMF) in collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) to combat Islamophobia and promote interethnic tolerance through international seminars, research, and publications. This collaboration served as an example of how the values of wasathiyah and zhong yong can be institutionalized into public policy and strategic programs.
Dr. Samsul Hidayat’s participation in this international forum not only strengthened IAIN Pontianak’s academic contribution on the global stage but also opened opportunities for international research collaboration in civilizational ethics, religious moderation, and intercultural dialogue. Moreover, his presence showcased Southeast Asia’s unique experience in integrating Islamic and Confucian moderation values as a model for building a peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable civilization.
桑苏·希达亚博士（Samsul Hidayat, MA）作为发言人出席在中国曲阜举行的第十一届尼山世界文明论坛
2025年7月13日，坤甸——坤甸国立伊斯兰宗教学院（IAIN Pontianak）校长沙里夫教授（Prof. Dr. H. Syarif, S.Ag., MA）正式委派宗教学系副教授桑苏·希达亚博士（Assoc. Prof. Dr. Samsul Hidayat, MA）代表学院出席并在第十一届尼山世界文明论坛上作主题发言。本次享有盛誉的全球性论坛于2025年7月7日至12日在中华人民共和国山东省曲阜市举行，论坛主题为“多样之美：为全球现代化培育文明互鉴”。
此次派遣基于2025年5月20日尼山世界文明论坛秘书处的正式邀请函，以及2025年6月13日学院提交的委派申请函。论坛组委会承担了本次活动的全部差旅、住宿及餐饮费用。
在论坛期间，桑苏博士作了题为《文明伦理的相遇：在构建有教养的全球现代性中的伊斯兰“瓦萨提亚”（Wasathiyah）与儒家“中庸”》的学术报告。该论文系一项深入的比较研究成果，探讨了源自不同文明传统、却共享普世目标的两种中道伦理原则——伊斯兰的“瓦萨提亚”（وسطية）与儒家的“中庸”（中庸）。两者皆强调中道、平衡与和谐的重要性，将其视为文明间对话的基础。
桑苏博士指出，在全球化背景下，这两种原则可作为包容性与适应性兼备的全球伦理范式，应对当代文明所面临的宗教极端主义、身份冲突、文化撕裂以及生态危机等挑战。研究基于对原典文本的分析——伊斯兰部分取自《古兰经》与圣训，儒家部分取自《论语》与《中庸》——并结合在印度尼西亚与马来西亚对宗教领袖的访谈，识别出两大传统在精神、社会与思想平衡方面的核心共性。
报告还特别展示了东南亚地区运用中道原则的具体实例，尤其是在印度尼西亚与马来西亚的实践。在坤甸，“瓦萨提亚”与“中庸”原则通过“巴克蒂28志愿消防队”得以体现，该队由穆斯林与儒家志愿者共同参与土地火灾防控；同时，“穆罕默迪亚生态多元之友”（SEKA）运动也组织跨宗教群体的联合植树活动。这些实践不仅增强了社会凝聚力，还提升了跨信仰的生态意识。
在马来西亚，中道原则的实践通过“全球中庸运动基金会”（GMMF）与马来西亚国民大学（UKM）的合作得以呈现，其主要目标是打击伊斯兰恐惧症，并通过国际研讨会、学术研究及出版物促进族群宽容。此类合作为“瓦萨提亚”与“中庸”价值观如何制度化为公共政策与战略项目提供了范例。
桑苏·希达亚博士出席本次国际论坛，不仅强化了坤甸国立伊斯兰宗教学院在全球学术舞台的贡献，还为文明伦理、宗教中道以及跨文化对话的国际研究合作开辟了新的机遇。此外，他的发言也向世界展示了东南亚在融合伊斯兰与儒家中道价值观方面的独特经验，提供了构建和平、包容与可持续文明的典范模式。
