UAE and Indonesia Strengthen Civilizational Partnership for Peace and the Future
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia are being encouraged to continuously strengthen their partnership in the fields of culture, education, knowledge, and humanity. This cooperation is considered vital for building peace and strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.
The UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Abdulla Salem AlDhaheri, expressed this during a cultural seminar titled “From Abu Dhabi to Jakarta: Civilizational Partnership for Peace and the Future” in Jakarta on Thursday (1/10/2026).
The seminar, organised by the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum, was part of the 2026 Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF) series. The event was attended by the Director General of Islamic Community Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muchlis M. Hanafi, former Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab, former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal, several Middle Eastern ambassadors, and representatives from friendly nations.
In his address, AlDhaheri stated that book exhibitions serve not only as spaces to showcase publications but also as meeting points for ideas, culture, and civilisation. He noted that knowledge and culture can act as bridges to enhance mutual understanding between societies and build peace between nations.
The year 2026 serves as a significant milestone for UAE-Indonesia relations as both countries commemorate 50 years of diplomatic ties, which began in 1976. According to AlDhaheri, this momentum should be used to establish a new phase of bilateral relations, particularly in cultural, knowledge, and humanitarian sectors.
“Fifty years is not merely a number in the history of diplomatic relations. Fifty years represents a half-century milestone for friendship, cooperation, interaction, and the process of building trust between two countries and two nations,” said AlDhaheri.
He assessed that the relationship between the UAE and Indonesia extends beyond government-to-government interactions to involve people-to-people connections. Both nations, he noted, share several common values, including respect for humanity, the importance of family and education, respect for religion, and pride in cultural heritage.
AlDhaheri also highlighted the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Solo as an example of the spiritual and cultural connection between the UAE and Indonesia. He described the mosque as a symbol of tolerance, coexistence, compassion, and peace.
Regarding peace and mediation, AlDhaheri emphasised that peace does not only mean the end of war. Peace, he argued, also encompasses efforts to address the root causes of tension, open spaces for dialogue, build trust, and protect people from the impacts of conflict.
He stated that the UAE continues to promote dialogue, de-escalation, and mediation in various international crises, including the UAE’s involvement in the prisoner exchange process between Russia and Ukraine. According to AlDhaheri, mediation is an effort to pave the way for peaceful resolutions while protecting populations from the consequences of conflict.
“Investing in people is essentially an investment in peace,” he said. He also positioned education, culture, and knowledge as essential foundations for building peace. During the seminar, AlDhaheri introduced the book Mohamed bin Zayed and Education, which has been translated into Indonesian. He expressed hope that the book would introduce the views of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan regarding the importance of education in human development and preparing for the future.
AlDhaheri also highlighted Indonesia’s designation as the Guest of Honour for the Al Burda Award 2026, noting that this momentum is part of strengthening the cultural and civilizational ties between the two nations. Moving forward, the partnership between the UAE and Indonesia can be expanded through education, youth empowerment, cultural cooperation, translation, scientific research, and dialogue between scholars, intellectuals, and religious institutions.
The UAE’s presence at the IIBF 2026 was also marked by the participation of the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum and The UAE Council for Fatwa through pavilions showcasing various programmes and initiatives in the fields of knowledge, culture, and religion. The Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, previously had the opportunity to visit both pavilions during the opening ceremonies of the IIBF 2026.
Concluding his speech, AlDhaheri invited the UAE and Indonesia to treat the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as the beginning of a new chapter of friendship and cooperation. “From Abu Dhabi to Jakarta, we meet through knowledge, grow closer through mutual understanding, build through culture, and cooperate to realise peace,” he concluded.