Around 2.000 participants of the 2017 Asian Youth Day (AYD) from 22 countries and 18,000 people sing the AYD theme song after taking part in the Eucharist celebration to close the AYD at the Air Force Academy Dirgantara Field, Yogyakarta, Sunday (8/6). The AYD event in Indonesia is a good opportunity to promote and show Indonesia’s diversity, as well as the spirit of tolerance amid numerous differences.
Tolerance was the most important message presented during Asian Youth Day 2017, August 2-6, 2017, in Yogyakarta.
The meeting, which was attended by about 2,000 Catholic youths from 22 countries in Asia and themed "Joyful Asia Youths, Living the Gospel in Multicultural Asia”, started on July 30, 2017. The event in Yogyakarta constituted the peak of their meeting with Indonesians hailing from a number of regions from 11 dioceses. The seventh annual meeting, the first in Indonesia, had previously been held in a number of other countries in Asia.
Attendees lived with non-Catholic families, accompanied by Muslim youths. Over several days they witnessed the diversity of the Indonesian community. One of the requirements of creating harmony in a diverse environment is tolerance: appreciating and respecting the rights of others.
The last message conveyed in the closing ceremony attended by Vice President Jusuf Kalla on August 7 highlighted the need to create a harmonious environment where tolerance thrives and people appreciate each other. Countries in Asia are representatives of diversity and that diversity is strength.
If we put their message in the Indonesian context, undoubtedly it will be touching, and at the same time upsetting. Based on data from the National Commission on Human Rights, in 2016 at least 97 reports were filed alleging violations of the freedom of religion and beliefs. Fifty two the reports were filed against regional administrations. Changing the mindsets of people in regard to tolerance is not as easy as turning the palm of the hand. The process is long, especially if it is influenced by politics. Changing intolerant behavior as a habitus not only requires legal protection but also examples from the religious and political elite.
If the intolerant attitudes and habit are left to grow, the potential of the negative side of diversity will lead to divide. We oppose the historical facts and the intention of the founders of the state that Indonesia is designed and developed in the name of diversity.
Praises by the world leaders on the harmonious condition in Indonesia over diversity should not necessarily serve as lip service or teasing. We develop and prove that Indonesia really deserves the praise.
In that context, the meeting of the Asian youths in Yogyakarta presents the longing and hope. Their message of tolerance should have encouraged us to promote tolerance. Protection plus legal enforcement and examples of the political elite and religious leaders should serve as a reference to realize a tolerant Indonesia.
