YOGYAKARTA — UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta hosted a large Ramadan pre-dawn gathering featuring Indonesian humanitarian figure Shinta Nuriyah Abdurrahman Wahid, drawing more than 1,000 participants to the university mosque for a discussion on social solidarity and democratic values.

The event, titled “Fasting Amid Disasters and a Shaken Democracy,” was held in collaboration with the GUSDURian Network and brought together university leaders, students, and members of the wider community. Among those attending were Rector Noorhaidi Hasan, Vice Rector Mochamad Sodik, and Vice Rector Abdur Rozaki.

Participants reflected a broad cross-section of society, including ride-hailing drivers, traditional pedicab associations from Yogyakarta, and citizens from different religious backgrounds.

Organizers described the gathering as more than a Ramadan ritual, positioning it as a space for dialogue and encounter across social, religious, and professional divides. Participants shared the pre-dawn meal together without formal seating arrangements, creating what organizers called an atmosphere of equality and solidarity.

Speaking at the event, Noorhaidi said the presence of Shinta Nuriyah carried special meaning for the university community. An alumna of UIN Sunan Kalijaga, she has long been known for advocating humanitarian values, democracy, and interfaith engagement.

He noted that Ramadan provides not only a period of personal reflection but also a moment to reaffirm moral responsibility and integrity in public life.

In her remarks, Shinta Nuriyah reflected on how her intellectual journey at UIN Sunan Kalijaga shaped her long-standing commitment to social justice. She recalled accompanying her late husband, Indonesia’s fourth president Abdurrahman Wahid, during their years at the State Palace, when she began organizing sahur gatherings with marginalized communities.

“For me, it has never been unusual to share sahur with construction workers under bridges, market traders, street children, or waste collectors in city squares,” she said.

For more than two decades, she has maintained the tradition of traveling from city to city to hold sahur gatherings with underprivileged groups and people with disabilities, emphasizing dignity, equality, and social inclusion.

The event at UIN Sunan Kalijaga reflected the university’s broader engagement with humanitarian dialogue and social inclusivity, bringing together diverse communities during Ramadan in a shared space of reflection and conversation.