Speakers at the Hybrid Upgrading Workshop on CCRL, from left to right: Yudiono from the Human Resources Development Division of Gloria School Surabaya, Program Coordinator for Alumni of Institut Leimena, Daniel Adipranata, Senior Expert Staff at the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) of the Republic of Indonesia and Senior Fellow of Institut Leimena, Prof. Dr. Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, Director of Human Rights Cooperation at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Harniati, and Umi Sarofah, M.Pd. from the Forum of Principals of Muhammadiyah Schools in East Java.
Surabaya, LKLB News – A total of 49 teachers from schools and madrasahs in Surabaya and surrounding areas participated in the Hybrid Upgrading Workshop on Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy (CCRL), organized by the Directorate General of Human Rights (Ditjen HAM) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia and Institut Leimena, on October 6–8, 2023, in Surabaya, East Java. The program aimed to strengthen the role of teachers in maintaining Indonesia’s diversity amid the threats of intolerance and vulnerability to polarization caused by religious differences.
Prof. Dr. Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, Senior Expert Staff at the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) of the Republic of Indonesia and Senior Fellow of Institut Leimena, who attended as one of the speakers, emphasized that teachers, as agents of change, need to apply the CCRL approach in classroom learning.
“We invited teachers to reflect together that each of us has the responsibility to nurture diversity, not only religion teachers, but all teachers including subject teachers,” Prof. Ruhaini said when opening the CCRL workshop themed ‘Development of Programs and Lesson Plans (RPP) that Strengthen Freedom of Religion and the Rule of Law’, Friday (October 6, 2023).
The CCRL workshop was also supported by Muhammadiyah Regional Leadership of East Java and Gloria Christian School, Surabaya. All participants were teachers who are alumni of the CCRL training previously held online for one week.
Ruhaini explained that the CCRL approach strengthens the priority and strategic programs of President Joko Widodo in 2020 to reaffirm the concept of Islam wasathiyah, which directs toward religious moderation. In 2018–2019, Ruhaini served as Special Staff to President Joko Widodo on International Religious Affairs and was one of the initiators of the religious moderation concept alongside former Minister of Religious Affairs, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin.
“At the time, the concept of religious moderation was still abstract, so we needed a methodology. What we hope is that this cross-cultural religious literacy can reinforce religious moderation,” she added.
Workshop participants of CCRL, consisting of teachers from schools and madrasahs.
According to Ruhaini, education in schools today often detaches itself from the reality of Indonesia’s plural society. For that reason, teachers need to be “literate” or have proper religious literacy so they can incorporate messages of diversity into their classroom teaching.
“For example, if I teach Mathematics, how do I integrate religious literacy? We shouldn’t just teach that 1+1=2, but we can say Ahmad has 1 book, Made has 1 book, so how many books do they have? When a teacher mentions the names Ahmad and Made, it means they are teaching the reality that in society there are both Made and Ahmad who are different,” she explained.
Ruhaini, who is also former Chairperson of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), added that the CCRL approach aligns with strengthening the rule of law and freedom of religion in Indonesia. Therefore, within the CCRL workshop, the principles of the rule of law were also highlighted in a more practical way.
“Public understanding of the importance of the relationship between the rule of law and freedom of religion, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is a vital asset for the progress of Indonesia as a plural nation amidst rising polarization worldwide,” Ruhaini stated.
Top: Hybrid Upgrading Workshop on CCRL.
Bottom: Director of Human Rights Cooperation, Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Harniati.
Meanwhile, Dr. Harniati, Director of Human Rights Cooperation at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, said that the CCRL program collaboration between the Ministry and Institut Leimena is part of the implementation of the 5Ps of human rights: Respect, Protection, Fulfillment, Promotion, and Enforcement of Human Rights. Teachers need to be equipped with awareness of cross-cultural religious literacy and the rule of law to foster respect for human rights, including in matters of religion.
“Hopefully, with growing public awareness, we can together achieve the rule of law,” Harniati said.
She further added that Ditjen HAM and Institut Leimena will also hold an international conference on November 13–14, 2023, to be attended by several ministers, including the Minister of Law and Human Rights, Yasonna Laoly, and speakers from international institutions.
“Human rights cooperation with Institut Leimena is very much in line with our duties and functions, and with all of us, in the effort to promote and uphold human rights,” she concluded.