Tantawi is the first of Muslim scholar invited under the new program.

CAIRO — The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) launches on Wednesday, may 24, an annual program to involve world Muslim scholars and leaders in discussing global challenges and promoting ties between Singapore and the Muslim world.

The Distinguished Visitors Program (DVP) will invite eminent Muslim statesmen, leaders and thinkers of international standing to Singapore, MUIS said in a statement mailed to IslamOnline.net.

"The issues to be addressed include matters related to Islam and the global challenges in the 21st century, its relationship with the modern world and new trends of Muslim thought in dealing with change and modernity."

The program will allow the guest to "meet and engage senior government, community and religious leaders in discussion and dialogues."

Established in 1968 as a statutory board, MUIS is tasked with advising the president of Singapore in all matters relating to Singaporean Muslims.

It is a statutory board under the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and comes under the direct purview of the Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs.

Its mission is to establish a Muslim community of excellence that is religiously profound and socially progressive, and one that thrives in a multi-religious society, secular state and globalized world.

Positioning

MUIS also hopes to position Singapore on the global map as a center for Islamic learning and inter-faith understanding.

"The DVP is an important platform, which will manifest Singapore’s continuing engagement process with the Muslim world," it said.

"It will help to raise Singapore’s profile as a significant node in the global Muslim diaspora network."

The first DVP guest is Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Mohammad Sayyed Tantawi.

He will meet Wednesday with President S R Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who will later host a dinner banquet in honor of the prominent scholar.

Tantawi will meet Thursday, May 25, with Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar and later with community and religious leaders.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam will deliver a lecture themed "Islam And Its Place In The Modern World" on Friday, May 26.

A total of 800 people, including senior government leaders, officials, diplomats, and Muslim and non-Muslim community and religious leaders are expected to attend.

Singaporean Model

The DVP aims to promote Singapore’s model in building a harmonious social integration amongst different racial and faith communities.

"It will also be a useful platform to highlight the importance of developing greater inter-religious understanding as a measure to build social resilience," said MUIS.

The annual program also aims to promote a progressive Islamic discourse among Singaporean Muslims.

"The DVP is part of our efforts to promote and shape a progressive Islamic discourse within the Muslim community as a strategy to counter radical ideologies."

Muslims in Singapore are estimated between 450,000 to 500,000, making around 14 to 15 percent of the population.