On Monday, March 12, a delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, headed by the Minister Ms Retno Marsudi, visited the Moscow Cathedral Mosque. The delegation was received by Damir Gizatullin, first deputy Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation. At the beginning of the meeting, he greeted the guests on behalf of the religious leader of Russian Muslims, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin.

The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Indonesia to the Russian Federation Wahid Supriyadi. While showing the new complex of the Moscow Cathedral Mosque to the guests, Damir Gizatullin noted that the relations between the Russian and Indonesian Muslims were developing and strengthening in different spheres. He also recalled the historic visit of the Indonesian President Ahmed Sukarno to the Moscow Cathedral Mosque in 1956.
 
“For the last 50 years different delegations have been visiting our mosque and the Russia Muftis Council, including the members of the Indonesian Parliament, representatives of the Ministry of religion, tourism, and relevant religious institutions, "said Gizatullin.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Retno Marsudi, noted that Indonesia was the country with the largest population of Muslims.

"In Russia the Muslim community is also large; 25 million Muslims live in your country. I believe that we need to continue to develop relations between our Muslim communities in order to promote peace and tolerance. We will be happy to cooperate in the area of education, in particular , the exchange of students and imams”, — said the Minister.

At the end of the meeting, the parties exchanged gifts. The Minister thanked Damir Gizatullin for the meeting and expressed the hope that her visit would contribute to the development of relations not only between the countries, but also between the Muslim communities of Russia and Indonesia.