Gontor International Calligraphy Fest Promotes Islamic Art as Global Diplomacy

RRI.CO.ID, Ponorogo - The International Calligraphy Festival for Darussalam Gontor Modern Boarding School (PMDG) 100th anniversary in Ponorogo Regency, East Java on September 8–10, 2026, highlighted Islamic art as a tool for global diplomacy. The event allowed the Islamic boarding school to share Islam's rich artistic and scientific heritage with the world, including Muslim communities in the United States.

The festival garnered appreciation from international calligraphers Bassem Zbeeb (Al Muhandis) from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE); and Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat from Maryland, United States who attended the closing event at the Modern Boarding School New Meeting Hall (BPPM) of PMDG in Ponorogo on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

Bassem Zbeeb said he was impressed by the participants’ enthusiasm and the interactive atmosphere built throughout the event. “Participating in the competition in person is far warmer than doing so merely through social media. Communicating directly with the participants was a truly beautiful experience,” he said.

Meanwhile, Imam Mohamad Bashar Arafat assessed that the quality of calligraphy works displayed by participants reflected the high skill and creativity of the santri, or Islamic boarding school students. “This shows how truly talented the students are. They are capable of producing extraordinary works,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

According to Imam, Islamic calligraphy art holds not only aesthetic value but is also closely tied to scholarly traditions and values derived from the Quran. He plans to share the experiences and insights gained during the festival with Muslim communities and the general public in the United States.

“I want to show that Islamic civilization has made major contributions to the development of science and art in the world,” he said.

PMDG leader, KH Hasan Abdullah Sahal, said the festival served as a means to strengthen brotherhood among calligraphers from various regions and countries. According to him, the use of Arabic script, which has developed across different parts of the world, forms part of the Islamic civilizational heritage that must be continuously preserved and advanced.

The International Calligraphy Festival ran for three days from September 8–10, 2026, under the theme Writing Civilization, Preserving Heritage, Toward Gontor’s Second Century. The event brought together calligraphers, academics, artists, teachers, santri, alumni, and participants from several countries to strengthen networks and advance the development of Islamic calligraphy art. ***