Even before the Center for the Study of Religion and Christian-Muslim Relations was officially launched, its director, Sumanto Al Qurtuby, travelled to Jakarta to promote the center to several renowned academic and research institutions and government agencies.
These include Georgetown University Indonesia, the National Agency for Counter Terrorism (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme), Leimena Institute (Institut Leimena), the Center for Research on Religious Heritage and Civilization of the National Research and Innovation Agency (Pusat Riset Khazanah Keagamaan dan Peradaban, Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional), the Center for Religious Harmony of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Pusat Kerukunan Umat Beragama, Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia), and the Center for Financing of Religious Education and the Education of Religiosity at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Pusat Pembiayaan Pendidikan Agama dan Pendidikan Keagamaan, Kementerian Agama Republik Indonesia).
During his tours, he met and conversed with their chairs for possible collaborations in the future, including Professor Yuhki Tajima (President of Georgetown University Indonesia), Lieutenant General Eddy Hartono (Head of the National Agency for Counter Terrorism), Muhammad Adib Abdushomad, PhD (Head of the Center for Religious Harmony), Dr. Ruchman Bashori (Head of the Center for Financing of Religious Education and the Education of Religiosity), Matius Ho (Executive Director of the Leimena Institute), and Dr. Wuri Handoko (Head of the Center for Research on Religious Heritage and Civilization).
Besides holding formal and informal meetings with the above chairpersons, Dr. Al Qurtuby also gave a public lecture at the National Research and Innovation Agency, hosted by the Center for Research on Religious Heritage and Civilization.