The Inter Religious Studies (IRS) Program at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held a meeting with representatives from the UK Embassy to explore potential areas of collaboration on Tuesday (August 20th) at the Meeting Room A, 5th Floor, UGM Graduate School Building. The delegation included Alicia Herbert, UK FCDO Director of the Education, Gender and Equality Directorate (EdGE), and Special Envoy for Gender Equality; Bikash Dawahoo, UK FCDO Gender and Equalities Advisor South East Asia; Amanda McLoughlin, UK Development Director to Indonesia & ASEAN; Aviva Nababan, Human Rights Officer at the British Embassy Jakarta.
Dr. Zainal Abidin Bagir, Head of the IRS Program, warmly welcomed the UK Embassy delegation. He expressed that exploring potential collaborations could provide opportunities and open doors for the IRS Program to broaden its international partnerships with the British Embassy. “We hope that there are lessons to be learned by the UK government, as Alicia Herbert represents the UK government in her role as Special Envoy for Gender Equality,” Dr. Zainal stated.
The meeting was also attended by the Head of Quality Assurance of the IRS Program, IRS Program lecturers, lecturers from the Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies (ALB) Program, representatives from the British Embassy in Jakarta, representatives from Islamic, Christian, Buddhist, and other faiths, as well as representatives from Interfaith Civil Society Organizations. The diversity of participants underscored the importance of cultural diversity and equality in addressing issues of discrimination and education.
During the meeting, both sides engaged in discussions and shared experiences regarding the management of diversity in Indonesia. Dr. Dicky Sofjan, an IRS Program lecturer, moderated the roundtable discussion. Representatives from various organizations shared their activities, followed by a discussion on the challenges faced by religious minority groups. Participants highlighted the progress made and the challenges still faced by these groups, recognizing the complexity of these issues in many contexts.
The discussion emphasized the importance of global partnerships in addressing issues of equality and discrimination. Participants acknowledged that collaboration between Indonesia and the UK could lead to valuable exchanges of knowledge and experience, particularly in the fields of gender equality and inclusion. The commitment to strengthening cooperation was clear, as both parties expressed desire to learn from each other’s experiences.
The meeting concluded with a joint commitment to enhancing collaboration and sharing more experiences and knowledge between Indonesia and the UK on issues of interfaith equality, including gender equality and inclusion. This collaboration aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in promoting cultural diversity, equality, and education.
Keywords: cultural diversity, equality, discrimination, education, global partnership, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Data: Ida Fitri Astuti
Author: Asti Rahmaningrum