Eight out of 10 Indonesians made donation despite being in the crisis, and even the participation rate of Indonesian volunteers was recorded to be three times higher than the global average.Pontianak, W Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin called on the public to stay vigilant against social disunity in addition to watching out for threats against national cultural diversity amid vast technological developments.
"With the rapid advancement in technology, the world is changing very quickly. The future is increasingly difficult for us to predict since various (traditional) threats have evolved to become non-traditional (ones). Thus, we must maintain harmony and unity in diversity and not to become divided," he remarked here on Thursday.
Hence, at the commemoration of the 2,573rd Anniversary of the Birth of Chinese people's prophet Kong Zi -- the most prominent figure in Confucianism -- held at the Pontianak Convention Center, Pontianak City, West Kalimantan Province, he emphasized that the public should not become lax about the likelihood of conflicts erupting that would certainly be disadvantageous to the community.
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He expects all religious believers, including Confucians, to understand that Indonesia is a diverse country.
"Indonesia is not the only plural country in the world. However, our nation's history has recorded various important events which prove that the Indonesian people regard diversity as a wealth and a gift from God that brings a lot of virtue," the vice president stated.
He said several studies had found that sometimes social diversity became a challenge to realize democratic practices.
"Praise be to God, democracy has been successfully practiced in our country, and we continue to strive to improve democracy in the country. We are grateful because we can witness the strong (bonds of) brotherhood between (diverse) people throughout Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic," he stated.
In the midst of tough times presented by the pandemic, he said that the Indonesian people had demonstrated high levels of solidarity and generosity, so it was regarded as the most generous country in 2021.
"Eight out of 10 Indonesians made donation despite being in the crisis, and even the participation rate of Indonesian volunteers was recorded to be three times higher than the global average," he remarked.
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In addition, the Religious Harmony Index in Indonesia in 2021 -- a survey conducted by the Religious Affairs Ministry with the three indicators of tolerance, cooperation, and harmony -- recorded a high score of 72.39, an increase of 4.93 points year-on-year.
"Our nation’s success in maintaining diversity -- that becomes a solid foundation for community tolerance, cooperation, and harmony -- has been lauded and recognized by other countries. Confucianism teaches a lot about forming a noble character," Amin affirmed.
He believed that all religions in Indonesia teach their people to be commendable individuals for their fellow humans and their environment.
"Our nation has been tested in going through various difficulties. Democracy and religious freedom, which we enjoy today, have gone through rough moments in the past,” he added.
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Translator: Desca Natalia, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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