Minister Of Religion: Tolerance Is The Key To Managing Differences And Diversity

Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas when met after the Jakarta Plurilateral Dialogue (JPD) 2023 event in Jakarta, Tuesday (29/8/2023). BETWEEN/Sean Filoso Muhamad

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas emphasized that tolerance between religious believers is the main key in managing differences and diversity.

"Tolerance is the main key in managing differences and diversity," said Minister of Religion Yaqut at the Jakarta Plurilateral Dialogue (JPD) 2023 event in Jakarta as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 29.

For the Indonesian people, said Minister of Religion Yaqut, strengthening the culture of tolerance and maintaining a pluralistic society that is open is a straight line with the needs and agenda of the state in preserving democracy and ensuring Human Rights (HAM).

He said plurality is a characteristic of natural and structural reality.

"Therefore, the rejection of plurality does mean that it is also denial of reality," he said.

According to the Minister of Religion, Indonesia has experience in showing how important it is to strengthen the culture of tolerance in Indonesian democracy.

This, he said, was because the culture of tolerance that had been built provided a basic framework for a fairer life for pluralistic communities.

As for intolerance, according to him, it is even more marginalizing for the weak, and deepening the gap of injustice in society.

"For centuries of history shows that coexistence is possible not only, but also a power," said Minister of Religion Yaqut.

Therefore, Minister of Religion Yaqut welcomed all initiatives carried out at the 2023 JPD event to strengthen the culture of tolerance.