Minister: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier Impressed by Istiqlal-Cathedral Harmony
President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, accompanied by First Lady Elke Büdenbender, visited the Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral on Monday (15/6). They were welcomed by Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar, who also serves as the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, and Archbishop of Jakarta Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo.
At Istiqlal Mosque, the German president toured several main facilities, including the pulpit area. Steinmeier also had the opportunity to strike the bedug, a traditional Islamic drum used in Indonesia.
The delegation then walked through the ‘Tunnel of Friendship’ that connects Istiqlal Mosque with Jakarta Cathedral. While at the Cathedral, they received an explanation of the church’s history and the symbolic meaning of the harmonious relationship between the two houses of worship.
Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar stated that President Steinmeier and his wife showed great interest in the atmosphere of tolerance fostered in the Istiqlal-Cathedral area. ‘After coming from the palace, they visited Istiqlal, then traversed the Tunnel of Friendship to enter the Cathedral. They were deeply moved to see such an ideal city, where two houses of worship are so friendly, marked by a tunnel connecting them,’ he said.
According to the Minister, the experience of walking through the Tunnel of Friendship left a profound impression on the state guests, particularly the combination of sounds from the mosque’s bedug and the cathedral’s bells heard inside. ‘In the middle of the tunnel, there is a combination of the bell sounds and the bedug sounds, along with very beautiful ornamental features of friendship. That is what impressed them greatly,’ he remarked.
He assessed that the Istiqlal-Cathedral complex serves as a tangible representation of Indonesia’s diversity, which is difficult to find in many other countries. For this reason, the area is often introduced to visiting world leaders. ‘They were very satisfied to witness a sight that is hard to find in other parts of the world. That is the impression we gathered from the visit,’ he added.
Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo explained that the proximity of Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral is inseparable from the history of the nation’s founding. He noted that Indonesia’s first president, Soekarno, deliberately chose the location for the Istiqlal Mosque as a symbol of nationalism and unity. During the process of determining the site for the state mosque, Vice President Mohammad Hatta had proposed an alternative location. However, Soekarno insisted on the area in front of the Cathedral to erase symbols of colonialism while demonstrating the spirit of coexistence in diversity.
‘The relationship between Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral continues to be built as a symbol that we live side by side as Indonesian citizens. That is why, whenever there are state guests, they are invited to see the ideal symbol of the Indonesian nation living together in difference,’ he said.
President Steinmeier and the First Lady’s visit to Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to maintaining interfaith harmony. Amid global challenges concerning religious relations, Indonesia continues to demonstrate that diversity can serve as the foundation for national unity.