Lawmaker pushes for Magelang to become a model of religious tolerance
Magelang (ANTARA) - House of Representatives Commission VIII member Wibowo Prasetyo believes Magelang has great potential to become an example in maintaining religious tolerance in Indonesia.
“I think Magelang is a showcase of diversity, a showcase of all religious communities,” he said in Magelang, Central Java, on Sunday.
He made the remarks after serving as a speaker at an Interfaith Public Discussion in Magelang organised by the Indonesian Catholic Community Forum (FMKI) of Magelang.
He explained that the diversity which has long been part of life in Magelang is an important asset for building harmony among religious communities.
According to him, every religion has its own beliefs and followers. However, these differences should not become a barrier to building fraternity and working together for the benefit of the wider community.
“Let us make Magelang a city that serves as a good example of tolerance and diversity. Each religion has its beliefs, each religion has its followers, but in fraternity we are equal. We are one and we work together for the wider community,” he said.
He invited all elements of society to jointly maintain security and peace, as well as to create comfortable spaces for every community to practise their respective faiths.
“Magelang has indeed been known for its diversity for a long time, and its diversity is also very strong. There are also many faith-based schools in Magelang,” he said.
According to him, this diversity must continue to be nurtured through dialogue and interaction between religious groups.
He assessed that interfaith activities such as the one held in Magelang are an important effort to maintain harmony.
“Magelang as a region that prioritises tolerance is very important to nurture, and today’s dialogue is an effort to maintain that,” he said.
He mentioned the hope that Magelang’s experience in maintaining harmony could become a model for other regions, and even for Indonesia more broadly.
Magelang Mayor Damar Prasetyono said the event organised by the local FMKI demonstrated a spirit of togetherness because it brought together various interfaith elements.
“This is a positive activity. The event was organised by FMKI, but those invited were from across faiths; all religions came and signed the Magelang Declaration,” he said.
He invited the entire community to jointly maintain tolerance and harmony among religious communities so that it does not stop at the declaration, but is realised in daily life.
“Let us together maintain this tolerance, and let this harmony truly be realised concretely in Magelang,” he said.
According to him, various indicators of tolerance in Magelang show positive developments.
Togetherness among the community, he said, must continue to be strengthened so that the spirit of tolerance can continue to be felt in real terms.