Ahead of KH Ali Maksum Memorial Mass Wedding, UNU Yogyakarta Prepares 12 Prospective Brides and Grooms

Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), in collaboration with the KH Ali Maksum Memorial Mass Wedding Committee, held a Premarital Guidance Program (Bimbingan Perkawinan bagi Calon Pengantin or Bimwin Catin) at the UNU Yogyakarta campus on Thursday, October 8. Supported by the Sewon Office of Religious Affairs (KUA) in Bantul, the program was attended by 12 prospective brides and grooms who will participate in the mass wedding organized by PP KH Ali Maksum Yogyakarta on October 11, 2026.

Dean of UNU Yogyakarta’s Faculty of Islamic Studies, Hamdi Putra Ahmad, said the program is part of the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Sakinah Family Strengthening Program and follows the university’s previous Training of Trainers (ToT) program for premarital guidance facilitators.

Through its Faculty of Islamic Studies and the Center for Population and Family Welfare Studies (Pusdeka), UNU Yogyakarta has conducted the facilitator training twice, reaching a total of 85 participants from various regions. This premarital guidance program also marks the first collaboration of its kind between UNU Yogyakarta, the KH Ali Maksum Memorial Mass Wedding organizing committee, and the Sewon Office of Religious Affairs.

“We want to give certified training participants the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired in providing guidance to prospective couples,” he said.

Director of Pusdeka UNU Yogyakarta, Rindang Farihah, said that conducting two facilitator training programs and one premarital guidance program in 2026 reflects the university’s commitment to community service, particularly in strengthening premarital education and family resilience.

For prospective couples, the guidance program also provides essential preparation for married life. Ian Agisti Dewi Rani, Vice Rector for Cooperation, Business, and Creative Funding at UNU Yogyakarta, emphasized the importance of preparing couples to build strong families.

Ian explained that marriage unites not only two individuals but also two families with different backgrounds. Therefore, prospective couples need commitment, the ability to understand differences, and a willingness to share responsibilities in family life.

From the perspective of premarital services, H. Armen Siregar, Head of the Sewon Office of Religious Affairs in Bantul, emphasized that premarital guidance is one preventive measure to help reduce divorce rates.

Latifah Hamdi, a Bimwin Catin facilitator at UNU Yogyakarta, highlighted her experience supporting families, noting that some couples return for consultations just weeks after getting married. This experience underscores the importance of preparing for married life before the wedding, including developing an understanding of communication, conflict management, and shared responsibilities.

The program featured five core sessions designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to build sakinah families—harmonious households grounded in peace and mutual understanding. The first session, Building a Sakinah Family, facilitated by Uqbah Fahira, explored the journey and development of family life, including the interactive Tepuk Sakinah activity.

The Family Psychology session, delivered by Sarjoko, covered the characteristics of harmonious families, the love triangle theory, and the importance of understanding each partner’s likes and dislikes to maintain a healthy relationship.

Next, Saeroni facilitated Meeting Family Needs. Participants explored physical and non-physical needs, individual and shared needs, and family financial management through the cash flow quadrant approach. Meanwhile, the Reproductive Health session, delivered by Mustaghfiroh Rahayu, addressed a comprehensive understanding of health and biological differences as a foundation for understanding reproductive health within family life.

The final session, Preparing the Next Generation, was facilitated by Latifah Hamdi. Participants learned about the characteristics of a quality family and parents’ responsibilities in educating, caring for, protecting, and raising children. The session emphasized that preparing for family life also requires an understanding of parents’ roles in supporting the growth and development of the next generation.

The program concluded with a sakinah family pledge, through which participants committed to building harmonious and responsible households. Through this collaboration, UNU Yogyakarta continues to strengthen its contribution to premarital education and family resilience while enabling trained facilitators to apply their expertise in preparing prospective couples for married life.

Reporter: Latifah