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Tulungagung — As much 60 participants in the Religious Moderation and Ecotheology Internalization Training held by the Organizing University (PTP) UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah (UIN ONE) Tulungagung took part in field studies at two environmentally active Islamic boarding schools, namely the Lirboyo Islamic Boarding School, Kediri, and Mambaul Hikam Islamic Boarding School, Jatirejo, Diwek, Jombang, on Monday (24/11/2025). This agenda is an important part in strengthening participants' understanding of the practice of religious moderation and sustainable environmental management.
At the Lirboyo Islamic Boarding School, Participants received a direct explanation from the management regarding the environmentally friendly technology-based waste processing system that the Islamic boarding school has developed together with the surrounding community. Participants also reviewed the waste processing flow, starting from sorting, processing, to delivery of inorganic waste. Every day, The Islamic boarding school is able to send approx 4 tons of chopped and non-chopped waste to processing plants.
The activities in Lirboyo also caught the attention of one of the cottage caretakers, KH. Abdullah Kafabihi Mahrus, who welcomed the participants directly. He emphasized that protecting the environment is part of the moral and spiritual responsibility of religious communities.
"We hope that this activity can increase participants' awareness and knowledge about the importance of environmentally friendly and sustainable waste management, which is the responsibility of everyone, including religious leaders,he said.
He also reminded that much environmental damage is caused by human activities, so that strengthening ecological awareness needs to continue through education, campaign, and waste processing movements in society.
Meanwhile, Another group of participants visited the Mambaul Hikam Islamic Boarding School, Jombang—Islamic boarding school that is widely known as a space for dialogue and interfaith encounters. This Islamic boarding school often receives guests from various institutions, such as Ateneo de Manila University (Filipina), Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya, until the Malang GKJW Synod. Guests come to learn about the practice of tolerance, diversity, as well as environmental management based on Islamic boarding school communities.
On this occasion, The students displayed a variety of innovative products made from waste, among them while pad or eco-friendly reusable pads, brooch from used plastic, eco brick, aromatherapy from used cooking oil, used cooking soap, And eco-enzyme. The atmosphere of the visit became more lively with the collaboration of hadrah and Chinese musical instruments which are usually played in Wayang Potehi, as well as singing songs Syubbanul Wathan as a symbol of national spirit and cultural diversity.
The series of field studies ended with a pilgrimage to the grave KH. Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Hard), 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia and figure of pluralism, at the Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School cemetery complex, Jombang.
In a separate statement, Chancellor of UIN SATU Tulungagung Prof. H. Abd. Aziz conveyed that training in religious moderation and internalization of ecotheology was a mandate from the Ministry of Religion to UIN SATU as the organizing university. He hopes that this activity can give birth to real action in the participants' social lives.
"We convey our highest appreciation to the Ministry of Religion for the initiation of this activity. Hopefully the values learned can be embedded and realized in humanitarian duties,” he said.
The Chancellor added that no matter how small, real action in protecting the environment is an important step to balance the flow of dehumanization that arises from modern life which is exploitative and often ignores nature.. According to him, This is the core of the internalization of ecotheology that needs to be fought for by all religious communities.
