MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, PAPUA — On a bright morning at SD Niwerarar in Sarmi, Papua, the smiles of the students lit up the yard as Ahmad Manuri, Chairman of the Regional Board of Muhammadiyah (PDM) Sarmi, Handed out food packages.
“This is a form of our care, especially for the children,” he said, affirming that even at 113 years old, Muhammadiyah’s heartbeat echoes in the farthest corner of Eastern Indonesia.
In remote Sarmi, small gestures carry enormous meaning. Though distant from national centers of activity, the community felt embraced as an essential part of Muhammadiyah’s nationwide mission.
Later that evening, an Anniversary gathering at An-Nur Kelapa Satu Mosque served as a spiritual reminder of the movement’s long standing presence in Papua since 1926, where it has nurtured education and social welfare as “a humanitarian partner spreading enlightenment.”
The scene in Sarmi is just one mosaic in the wider celebration of Muhammadiyah’s Anniversary across Eastern Indonesia. From Papua to the Maluku Islands and Sulawesi, the 113th anniversary unfolded with simplicity, community warmth, and a steady commitment to service.
In kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, the Anniversary took on an ecological tone as Muhammadiyah’s Council for Environmental Preservation (MLH) launched the Green Mining Watch (GMW), a new initiative to monitor mining activities and promote environmental justice.
Buya Anwar Abbas emphasized that protecting nature is a religious mandate, while MLH Chairperson Azrul Tanjung stressed the need for sustainable practices and minimizing the possible harm of the mining industry. Training, tree planting, and advocacy sessions brought together over a hundred participants from youth organizations, universities, and local government.
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, the spirit of Muhammadiyah’s Anniversary appeared in the laughter and nervous tears of children attending a mass circumcision event at Muhammadiyah Boarding School Awwatul Islam. Seventy four children participated, supported by doctors, volunteers, and local leaders. “This is to help the surrounding community,” said MBS Director Kiai Sudirman.
Further north in Manado, North Sulawesi, the province’s multicultural harmony shaped the Anniversary atmosphere. Deputy Governor Victor Mailangkay expressed full support and thanked Muhammadiyah for strengthening peace and education in the region.
In East Halmahera, the celebration took the form of a vibrant mass ta’aruf parade in Maba and Subaim. Hundreds walked 5-6 kilometers under the hot sun. Students, teachers, youth cadres, and community members carry a shared pride in the movement. PDM Haltim Chairperson Ali Muhaidhori reminded everyone that Muhammadiyah has long contributed to education, health, and nation building since before Indonesia’s independence.
Meanwhile, in Manokwari, West Papua, a cultural touch colored the Anniversary: a film discussion of Sang Pencerah drew a room filled with students—87 percent of them are non-Muslim—curious to reflect on the challenges faced by KH Ahmad Dahlan. For PDM Manokwari Chairperson, Imam Muslih, the film offers lessons in courage and intellectual clarity.
The journey ended in Jayapura, where UM Papua and PDM Jayapura held an Anniversary ceremony at Muhammadiyah Senior High School of Jayapura. Achmad Yunaidi of Provincial Board of Muhammadiyah (PWM) Papua underscored Muhammadiyah’s long-standing role as a humanitarian partner since 1926 and called on all cadres to deepen collaboration with local leaders and communities.
From the shores of Sarmi of the classrooms of Kendari, from Halmahera’s lively processions to Manokwari’s film discussion the 113th Anniversary of Muhammadiyah in Eastern Indonesia reveals a quiet but enduring truth: the real progress is often built not on grand stages, but in the small, steady acts of service that brighten people’s lives.
In these lands where the sun rises first, Muhammadiyah continues to stitch treads of hope, spreading light across the eastern horizon of Indonesia.
