Tolerance and Respect: Educational Paths in Indonesia

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January 29, 2024 | Indonesia prides itself on its commitment to rich cultural and religious diversity. Nowhere does this have greater relevance than in education, which lays the groundwork for basic appreciation of a society's core values and, in an increasingly interdependent if deeply polarized world, of the common ground on which to build sustainable mutual understanding. How can education prepare Indonesian society for open and respectful collaboration across deep differences in matters of faith? The topic has wide regional and international implications, as social cohesion and leadership on diversity challenges have taken on heightened significance in the post-COVID-19 world where education is in the spotlight.
This event focused on the emerging lessons from a Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy Program that serves primary and secondary school teachers from across Indonesia. How are these lessons and the Indonesian experience relevant for G20 and ASEAN discussions about educational initiatives that promote global citizenships, which must include religious literacy? How can insights gleaned from the Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy concept be applied to other global issues that involve interfaith leaders and faith-based organizations? A panel considering these questions featured Matius Ho, executive director of the Leimena Institute; Chris Seiple, a principal advisor at the Templeton Religion Trust; and Berkley Center Senior Fellow Katherine Marshall. W. Cole Durham, Jr., emeritus professor of law at the J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University, moderated the discussion.