UNU Jogja Inaugurates Gus Dur Corner: A Space of Reflection and Civilization

Yogyakarta, Indonesia - Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama (UNU) Jogja officially inaugurated the Gus Dur Corner as a space for reflection and learning for its academic community on Saturday, August 31. The event took place at the UNU Jogja Library, 5th Floor, and was witnessed by the Chair of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) and one of the daughters of the late KH. Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), Ning Alissa Qotrunnada Wahid.

In her remarks, UNU Jogja Rector, Dr. Widya Priyahita, explained that the Gus Dur Corner symbolizes both respect and education, serving as a medium to internalize the values of humanity, pluralism, and justice that Gus Dur championed throughout his life. “This room represents one of our efforts to preserve Gus Dur’s ideas, mission, and thoughts so they remain alive and relevant for the younger generation,” she said.

The Rector further emphasized that the Gus Dur Corner is not merely a space for storing books and archives but also a venue for dialogue and inspiration. Through its curated collection of writings, documentation, and works, students are expected to explore and reflect on the intellectual and spiritual legacy of Gus Dur.

Meanwhile, Ning Alissa Wahid expressed her deep appreciation to UNU Jogja for the initiative. She noted that the establishment of the Gus Dur Corner aligns with the Gusdurian Network’s mission to preserve, enliven, and continue her father’s ideas and values. “Efforts like this are crucial—not only to remember Gus Dur as history but to make his moral and intellectual spirit a living guide for future generations,” Ning Alissa said.

The inauguration ceremony was marked by a ribbon-cutting conducted by Ning Alissa Qotrunnada Wahid and witnessed by UNU Jogja leaders, faculty members, students, and representatives from the Gusdurian Network. The atmosphere was both solemn and warm, symbolizing a new chapter for the UNU Jogja Library as a hub of literacy rooted in Gus Dur’s values.

Through the establishment of the Gus Dur Corner, UNU Jogja hopes to enrich its campus literacy and spiritual ecosystem—transforming the library into not only a place for reading but also a space for exchanging ideas, nurturing humanity, and strengthening national values. [Latifah]