"Indonesia and New Zealand share the same value of highly respecting diversity, including religious diversity," Amin stated at the public lecture on Wednesday.
The vice president highlighted Indonesia's commitment to playing an active role in interfaith dialogue on its foreign policy for the last two years.
Indonesia cooperates with other countries and the international community to encourage common understanding among religions globally, he added.
Amin affirmed that Indonesia, with its diversity, has a strong modal quality to encourage interfaith relations among nations.
"We have a population of 278 million in 17 thousand islands, six recognized religious faiths, 1,300 ethnic groups, and 718 regional languages," he noted.
At the public lecture attended by more than 100 students and the academic community of Victoria University of Wellington, the vice president elaborated on Indonesia's experience in managing its diversity to prevent disunity.
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Amin highlighted that interfaith dialogue has been an entrenched aspect of Indonesia's society as the first and foremost method of resolving issues.
"We have the Communication Forum of Inter-Religious Communities, whose members comprise religious organizations in Indonesia, to avoid religious conflict and resolve internal disputes among religious groups," the vice president stated.
Indonesia also upholds the national foundation that emphasizes unity and harmony, he stated.
"Those values are stated in the Pancasila ideology, the 1945 Constitution, and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia as the consensus of our national founders who came from nationalist and religious backgrounds," Amin highlighted.
He said that Indonesia also prohibits any regulation that seeks to discriminate against religions in all aspects, such as politics and law, economy, and culture.
Religious figures and civil society also have an important role to play in various public aspects, so they are constantly involved in disseminating information on religious tolerance and moderation, he added.
"Indonesia's two major Muslim organizations of Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah have also been recently awarded the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity from the United Arab Emirates for their dedication and commitment to advancing moderation, brotherhood, and peace," Amin remarked.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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