Minister of Religious Affairs Emphasizes Harmony as Key to Well-being, UIN Jakarta Strengthens Religious Moderation
Jakarta, UIN News Online – The Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag), Prof. Dr. K.H. Nasaruddin Umar, M.A., emphasized that harmony and peace are vital foundations for increasing investment and public welfare. This statement was delivered by the Minister during his keynote speech at the Harmony in Diversity Award event at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski, Jakarta, Wednesday (15/7/2026).
The event, initiated by the Temasek Foundation in collaboration with the 5P Global Movement, was witnessed directly by prominent Southeast Asian figures, including former Singaporean President Mdm Halimah Yacob as Patron of the award, members of the ambassadorial corps, and government ministers. The ceremony served as a platform to appreciate individuals who have contributed to fostering tolerance and peace amidst diversity.
In this inaugural edition, the main award was presented to Cardinal Orlando Beltran Quevedo from the Philippines for his lifetime dedication to pioneering the Bishop-Ulama Conference to nurture peace dialogues in Mindanao.
In his speech, the Minister explained that social stability built through mutual respect is one of the prerequisites for societal progress. According to him, developing education, attracting investment, and fostering social welfare will be difficult to achieve if society remains embroiled in prolonged conflict.
“Without the moral foundation of faith, whatever peace we achieve is merely a temporary pause, ready to flare up at any moment. You cannot build schools, attract investment, and develop a prosperous community if the ground beneath your feet is shaking due to conflict,” explained the Minister.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of addressing injustice, ensuring equality, and respecting human rights in peacebuilding. He cited the dedication of Cardinal Orlando Beltran Quevedo of the Philippines, who received the main award for his pioneering role in the Bishop-Ulama Conference to maintain peace dialogues in Mindanao.
Furthermore, the Minister invited ASEAN member countries to develop best practices in nurturing diversity. He noted that the national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) demonstrates that differences in identity, culture, and religion do not need to be erased to build unity.
In line with these ideas, UIN Jakarta continues to promote religious moderation through education and interfaith dialogue. The Rector of UIN Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., emphasized that strengthening religious moderation should be implemented through an educational system that integrates Islamic values with modern science.
“Strengthening religious moderation is not enough merely at a normative level; it must be implemented through an educational system that integrates Islamic values with modern science,” said Prof. Asep.
The Minister's message also aligns with UIN Jakarta's initiatives, which were demonstrated through the Road to INSPIRE 2026: Harmony and Peace Film Screening organized alongside the Center for Religious Harmony (PKUB) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in May 2026. The event served as a reflective platform for the academic community to understand diversity and enhance peace literacy through documentary media.
During the event series, PKUB Kemenag and the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Sciences (FDIKOM) at UIN Jakarta signed a partnership focused on developing religious moderation programs, interfaith harmony, and peace literacy within the academic environment.
Another concrete step taken by UIN Jakarta includes bolstering religious moderation through the Religious Moderation Nusantara Student Community Service (KKN) program. This effort was reinforced by the PPM LP2M UIN Jakarta through its initiative exploring cooperation with PKUB Kemenag to develop the Harmony Village KKN program in May 2026. This program was designed as a community-based service model to promote tolerance and harmony among religious communities. Through both initiatives, UIN Jakarta actively translates the concept of religious moderation into action involving students and the public directly.
In accordance with this, the Rector of UIN Jakarta reiterated the university's commitment to remaining open to diversity and preserving interfaith harmony. “UIN Jakarta will continue to be an open and welcoming home of knowledge for everyone, as well as an exemplar in nurturing diversity for national unity,” he expressed.
Through strengthening religious moderation, interfaith dialogue, and collaboration with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, UIN Jakarta contributes to building a peaceful and inclusive society. These efforts align with the Minister's message that harmony is not merely about preventing conflict, but serves as the social foundation for progress, investment, education, and community welfare.