They have been traveling for about a week: Fabio, Marina, Cédric and André landed in Jakarta, Indonesia on September 1. Since then, they have been talking almost around the clock and getting to know new things. "We're having a great time and gathering lots of impressions," they write from the road.
The four Swiss are traveling as youth ambassadors for Mission 21. They are accompanied by Halim Pratama, Asia Youth Coordinator of Mission 21. The goal of the trip: The exchange with local people, insight into local ways of life, into the worldwide church and into the projects of Mission 21. Trips of other youth ambassadors to Costa Rica and Tanzania have already taken place.
Interreligious dialogue takes center stage
One topic that is very present in the current tour group is interreligious dialogue: In Indonesia, the country with the world's largest Mulim population, religious freedom is enshrined in the constitution. But radicalism and discrimination against minorities are widespread. In 2017, Jakarta's Chinese-born Christian governor was imprisoned for alleged blasphemy, and churches are being closed or religious events prevented. Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim minority, as well as Shiites, are under particular pressure and experience violent attacks.
Various partner organizations of Mission 21 are intensively committed to interreligious dialogue and peaceful cooperation between different religious communities (here there is more info about it). This includes the Jakatarub Youth Network in Bandung. Members of the network are among the hosts of our Youth Embassy travelers from Europe and present the activities in the field of interreligious dialogue.
The youth ambassadors also got to know the "Durebang Centre" women's shelter in Bandung. Here the Partner Church GKP an emergency shelter for women who have been victims of violence. (More about the project here to read)
Making contacts in the worldwide youth network
The worldwide youth network of Mission 21 is based on the contacts that the youth ambassadors make with each other and beyond their group. The aim of this network is to strengthen the relationships between the young generation of the partner churches and organizations, to promote intercultural and transcultural competencies, and to share resources and experiences, thus expanding knowledge and competencies in the sense of "peer-education". We wish our "Jubos" a good journey.
â–º More about the Youth Embassy Program
