European Union Ambassador Says Interfaith Harmonization Practices In Indonesia Teach Global Community Securities

JAKARTA - The practice of interfaith harmonization in Indonesia is a lesson for the global community, while cross-religious and cultural dialogue is important when the world experiences instability, said EU Ambassador to Indonesia Denis Chaibi.

Indonesia and the European Union are again holding cross-religious and cultural dialogues, after the last similar dialogue was held in 2012. This year, the dialogue took the title "Indonesia-EU Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue" which was held in Jakarta and Yogyakarta from 27 November to 1 December.

"The practice of interfaith harmonization that has been carried out by Indonesia for a long time provides valuable lessons for the global community," said EU Ambassador to Indonesia Denis Chaibi.

"European Union is honored to be working with Indonesia to revive this important dialogue and deepen our shared commitment to peace, diversity and mutual understanding," he explained.

Furthermore, it is said that this interfaith and cultural dialogue is a follow-up to the EU-Indonesia Human Rights Dialogue 2024. This dialogue also refers to the collekative values contained in the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between Indonesia and the European Union which has been in effect since September 2014.

"At a time when the world is facing geopolitical instability, fostering dialogue between religious communities is not only an important agenda - but also an urgent issue," said Ambassador Chaibi.

"The practice of interfaith harmonization that has been carried out by Indonesia for a long time provides valuable lessons for the global community," said EU Ambassador to Indonesia Denis Chaibi.

Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue 2025 was prepared based on three main sub-themes, namely Peaceful Cross-Religious Coexistence, Role of Religious Leaders in Environmental Preservation, and Religion as Encouraging Gender Equality.

"Hopefully this dialogue will help us overcome our respective prejudices, it is better to understand each other and allow us to get to know and see firsthand how Indonesia practices tolerance and diversity," explained Deputy Head of Mission EU Delegation to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam Stephane Mechati, who was present at the opening of this series of dialogues.

It is known, this year's "Indonesia-EU Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue" brings together interfaith, academic figures, civil society representatives and policy makers, both from Indonesia and the European Union, to strengthen cooperation in tolerance, peaceful coexistence and interculture understanding to face global challenges together.