Hartford Seminary’s cohort of trustees, faculty and staff led by President Heidi Hadsell arrived in Singapore on Monday, October 10, to meet with longtime partner MUIS (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore) and to commemorate 10 years of friendship between the institutions.

The group was greeted by Dr. Albakri Ahmad, Deputy Chief Executive and Dean of MUIS Academy, and  Zainul Abidin Ibrahim, Director of Strategic Engagement, who gave the group a tour of the Singapore Islamic Hub.

Hartford Seminary alum Zalman Putra Ahmad Ali, Director of Policy and Strategy, gave a presentation on MUIS and the Singapore Muslim Community.

MUIS ended the evening by hosting a wonderful dinner event “Celebrating 10 Years of MUIS-Hartford Seminary Friendship,” which was attended by MUIS officers, interfaith leaders, and some of the 21 Singaporean Hartford Seminary alumni that MUIS has sent to Hartford over the past 10 years.

Dr. Ahmad gave the opening remarks followed by President Hadsell.

Dr. Mohammad Hannan Hassan, Deputy Director of Capacity Building and Interfaith Engagement and Vice-Dean of MUIS Academy, gave a presentation on “MUIS-Hartford Seminary Partnership in Developing Religious Leadership for the Modern World.”

Some of the past Singaporean alumni of Hartford Seminary shared their experiences at the school, and to conclude,  MUIS presented President Hadsell with a plaque commemorating 10 years of partnership with Hartford Seminary.

On the second day, the group arrived at the Harmony Centre and received a tour of the Interfaith Exhibition and the An-Nahdah Mosque. Hartford Seminary alumni who attended the tour included Hanna Taufiq Siraj, Head of the MUIS Academy, Ustaz Mohamed Ali Atan, Imam of the Harmony Centre, and Guat Kwee See.

The Harmony Centre, which opened in 2006, represents one of the key MUIS initiatives to bring about a greater understanding of Islam and Muslims among the multi-racial and multi-religious society of Singapore.

Programs include mosque open houses, mosque visits and collaborative initiatives between mosques and community organizations, both on the grassroots and the national level. The Harmony Centre also serves as a hub for the promotion of greater understanding and engagement of all faith communities.