The rich diversity among the nation’s people should serve as its strength and unite all people, the chief of the advisory board of Jakarta’s Inter-Religious Communication Forum (FKUB), Riza Patria, has stated.

At the Jakarta FKUB dialogue and meeting in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, on Tuesday, he opined that the harmony between its diverse groups is Indonesia’s wealth and strength.

“Our diversity is our wealth. Though we may come from different tribes, religions, and cultures, we are still one. This is our true strength as Indonesians,” he affirmed.

The role of Jakarta FKUB is to help the provincial government realize harmony between adherents of different religions, the Jakarta deputy governor explained.

This harmony can be realized through the promotion of moderate religious values among the people to create a harmonious and tolerant Jakarta, he remarked.

Moderate religious values refer to behaviors that do not lie in the extreme and allow for the possibility of a compromise and harmony between people of different religions, he elaborated.

“The key lies in Pancasila, which has the element of bhinneka tunggal ika (unity in diversity),” he said.

According to Patria, Jakarta residents should adopt moderate religious values as a solution to build a peaceful, harmonious, and balanced religious life, whether within the domain of their personal life, family, or society as a whole.

“Do not let our faith become a tool to create discord and chaos while carrying out our respective religious activities,” he asserted.

The event held by Jakarta’s FKUB featured two speakers—deputy chairman of Jakarta’s Regional House of Representative (DPRD) Commission A Inggard Joshua, and the head of the Religious Affairs Ministry’s Jakarta Regional Office, Cecep Khairul Anwar.

Source: Antara News