Deputy Head of Education and Training of the Istiqlal Mosque Management Body, Dr. Mulawarman Hannase, served as one of the speakers at the media gathering of the Leimena Institute in Jakarta, June 10, 2024.
Jakarta, LKLB News – As one of the earliest partners of the Leimena Institute in implementing the Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy (CCRL) program since late 2021, Istiqlal Mosque appreciates the CCRL training that has brought a positive impact to educators. The CCRL program partnership between Istiqlal Mosque and the Leimena Institute has been carried out through 11 classes with a total of 1,400 graduates, consisting of teachers, ulama cadres, and religious instructors.
Dr. Mulawarman Hannase, Deputy Head of Education and Training of the Istiqlal Mosque Management Body, stated that based on his observations, there has been a significant positive influence on students, ulama cadres, and teachers under Istiqlal Mosque through the CCRL activities.
Mulawarman noted the emergence of a new awareness among the Muslim community, especially teachers and ulama cadres at Istiqlal Mosque. At first, when they introduced the CCRL program, there was concern about rejection or resistance. However, it turned out that all groups at Istiqlal Mosque viewed the program positively.
“In the Muslim community, not to mention meeting non-Muslim friends, even just listening to material on Christianity or from a Rabbi is something very taboo. But what was extraordinary was that when speakers from other religions were present, they were very much appreciated, and there was no complaint about the program. This is a new awareness,” said Mulawarman at the media gathering organized by the Leimena Institute on Monday, June 10, 2024.
The media gathering was attended mostly by editors from national mass media in Indonesia.
The CCRL training in cooperation with Istiqlal Mosque and the Leimena Institute has been held since November 2021, with the most recent training in May 2024. In addition to involving madrasah teachers under Istiqlal Mosque, the CCRL training is also a compulsory course for Master’s and Doctoral students of the Istiqlal Mosque’s Ulama Cadre Education (PKU) program.
“Our problem all this time has been a lack of literacy, and the Leimena Institute has been extraordinary in opening a space for literacy to upgrade and fill the literacy gap, especially in the Muslim community,” said Mulawarman.
He added that CCRL alumni from Istiqlal Mosque are expected to become agents to strengthen interreligious harmony in Indonesia. According to him, the program’s target segments—teachers and ulama—are highly appropriate.
“With this, our colleagues are becoming more inclusive and gaining a new paradigm about interreligious relations. There is no longer awkwardness or fear of speaking across faiths,” said Mulawarman.
The media gathering organized by the Leimena Institute was attended mostly by editors of national mass media in Indonesia such as Kompas Daily, Antara News Agency, Tempo, Kumparan, and Viva.co. The media has become one of the important partners of the CCRL program, which is expected to bring positive social change in interreligious relations in Indonesian society.