Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Ministry is stepping up religious diplomacy by exploring strategic cooperation with 12 countries to expand faith-based services, cultural exchange, and multilateral collaboration, officials said on Friday.
The initiative was discussed during a focused group discussion held in Jakarta on Thursday, hosted by the Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance and attended by diplomats from Egypt, Afghanistan, Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, Iraq, Pakistan, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Iran.
Director General Abu Rokhmad said cross-border cooperation is vital to strengthening religious diplomacy while advancing key ministry programs, including religious services, international Quran recitation competitions, and collaboration in zakat and waqf management.
“We expect this forum to generate practical input from partner countries, ranging from religious services and Musabaqah Tilawatil Quran to cooperation in zakat (alms) and waqf,” Rokhmad said on Friday.
Secretary Lubenah said the discussion also served as a coordination platform between the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and foreign embassies to explore and reinforce opportunities for international religious cooperation.
“Religious diplomacy is not only a channel for outreach, but also a platform for dialogue and collaboration across social, cultural, and educational sectors,” she said.
The meeting outlined ten priority areas, including services for Indonesian diaspora communities, cross-border mosque management, religious counseling, international Quran competitions, Islamic seminars, cleric exchanges, Islamic cultural diplomacy, moon-sighting cooperation, and eco-theological environmental protection.
Lubenah said the partnerships are expected to produce concrete recommendations and deliver mutual benefits, strengthening Indonesia’s multilateral engagement in religious affairs.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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