Indonesia gains cooperation prospects after Italy interfaith forum

indonesianupdates.com_admin

1 hour ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar said his recent participation in an international interfaith forum in Assisi, Italy, had opened up opportunities for cooperation with several countries and institutions.

In a statement cited in Jakarta on Friday, he noted that representatives from the United Kingdom, Australia, and Pakistan, among others, had expressed interest in partnering with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Istiqlal Mosque.

Also serving as the grand imam of Istiqlal Mosque, Umar said Indonesia used the forum to present its concept of religious diplomacy, which was well received, while also exploring opportunities for collaboration with higher education institutions in Italy and the Vatican.

The minister described the diplomatic gains as evidence that the international community is increasingly recognizing Indonesia’s experience in managing diversity and promoting a moderate approach to religious affairs.

“In short, Indonesia has now become a model, particularly in terms of religious moderation,” he added.

Umar further noted that two educational institutions in Italy and the Vatican are keen to establish partnerships with Indonesia to learn from the way the Southeast Asian nation maintains unity amid its highly diverse population.

He cited the Rome-based Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI) as one of the interested institutions, adding that the proposed cooperation could provide a platform for Indonesia and the Vatican to learn from one another.

“They have an interest in learning from Indonesia. I believe we need to learn from the Vatican as well,” the minister remarked.

Furthermore, Umar said he had the opportunity to visit a library in the city-state, where he found a collection of Islamic literary works considered rare in Indonesia and the Middle East.

He added that the discovery had underscored the importance of strengthening knowledge exchange and interfaith dialogue.