Jakarta – In response to rising religious intolerance in Indonesia, 20 local communities from across the country have launched the #Friendship4Peace campaign through the Campaign #ForABetterWorld app.
The campaign, which aims to support freedom of religion and faith, is done in collaboration with PeaceGeneration Indonesia, a social enterprise focusing on peace education.
According to PeaceGeneration Indonesia executive director Irfan Amali, the #Friendship4Peace campaign is a practical step that can be followed by various groups.
"We are aware that many people have great determination to break down the walls of intolerance, but unfortunately they can only stay silent because they don't know where to start. By completing the #Friendship4Peace action, they can help others in a simple way that can be done anywhere, anytime," he said.
The #Friendship4Peace campaign on the Campaign #ForABetterWorld app encourages people to donate with their time rather than money to support tolerance activities, such as interfaith education for children in Medan, North Sumatra, or open dialogue for the construction of places of worship in Bandung, West Java.
Campaign program officer and #Friendship4Peace project lead Benaya Jonatan emphasized the importance of real action in fighting intolerance, noting that rising cases of intolerance in Indonesia was ironic given the national motto of "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" (Unity in Diversity).
"We invite the public to take real action by downloading the Campaign #ForABetterWorld app on the App Store or Google Play, then completing the challenge from the #Friendship4Peace program," he added.
Communities and circles from all walks of life have participated on the Campaign #ForABetterWorld app, such as by uploading photos with friends of different faiths or sharing messages of friendship for friends from various religious backgrounds and beliefs.