Newsletter 2025-4

By Supriyono | Photo: Achmad Ulyani

Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) continued its intellectual engagement on Islam and global affairs through a guest lecture titled “Wasatiyyat Islam as a Foreign Policy: The Image of Indonesian Islam”, held at the Faculty of Education on December 17, 2025. The lecture was part of the course Wasatiyyat Islam in a Globalized World and was convened by Andar Nubowo, PhD.

The session featured Prof. Din Syamsuddin, Chairman of the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilizations (CDCC) and Chairman of Muhammadiyah for the 2005–2025 period, who offered a reflective and historically grounded perspective on how Indonesia’s foreign policy embodies the Islamic principle of wasatiyyat—the middle path.

Prof. Din argued that Indonesia’s commitment to moderation is not merely rhetorical but constitutionally rooted. Referring to the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution, he emphasized that Indonesia’s mandate extends beyond safeguarding sovereignty and ensuring prosperity to actively participating in creating global peace and justice. “From the very beginning, Indonesia was envisioned as a nation that takes the middle way,” he noted, adding that this orientation is reflected not only in Pancasila but throughout the body of the Constitution.

According to Prof. Din, Indonesia’s foreign policy represents what he described as a “constitutional deduction”—a direct manifestation of constitutional values—and a “sociological-political induction”, shaped by the aspirations and moral convictions of its people. In this framework, wasatiyyat Islam becomes both a moral compass and a diplomatic approach.

He illustrated this principle through Indonesia’s longstanding support for Palestinian independence, which he described as a constitutional obligation as well as a historical and ethical stance. Prof. Din reminded the audience that Palestinian leaders were among the earliest to recognize Indonesia’s independence, even before its formal proclamation in August 1945. Indonesia’s consistent advocacy for Palestine at international forums, including the United Nations, reflects what he called a principled foreign policy rooted in justice, peace, and humanitarian concern.

Beyond the Middle East, Prof. Din highlighted Indonesia’s role in peacebuilding efforts in Southern Philippines, where Indonesia served as a mediator between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). He described this involvement as a concrete example of Islamic moderation translated into conflict resolution and diplomacy.

The lecture also addressed how Indonesia has managed sensitive global religious issues through dialogue rather than confrontation. Prof. Din recalled moments when Indonesian Islamic leaders, civil society, and government institutions worked together to respond calmly to international controversies involving Islam, thereby preserving social harmony and projecting a mature global image of Indonesian Islam.

Reflecting on Indonesia’s engagement with Europe and interfaith dialogues during the mid-2000s, Prof. Din observed that Indonesia was increasingly viewed as a model of moderate Islam, offering an alternative narrative to extremism. He argued that this image was strengthened by Indonesia’s confidence in promoting wasatiyyat Islam as a civilizational contribution rather than a defensive identity.

Concluding his lecture, Prof. Din encouraged students to critically assess whether Indonesia’s foreign policy has successfully shaped the global perception of Indonesian Islam. He invited them to continue researching and analyzing Indonesia’s diplomatic practices, noting that scholars and students alike play a vital role in refining and advancing the discourse on Islam, moderation, and global coexistence.

The lecture underscored UIII’s commitment to fostering critical conversations on Islam’s role in international relations, positioning the university as a space where constitutional values, religious ethics, and global realities intersect.

source: https://uiii.ac.id/wasatiyyat-islam-as-foreign-policy-prof-din-syamsuddin-on-indonesias-global-islamic-identity/

By Supriyono | Photo: Achmad Ulyani

How might education look like if it aimed not merely to train the mind, but to awaken the whole human being? This question became the spirit of Lunch Talk #48 hosted by the UIII’s Faculty of Education, on December 8, 2025. In a thought-provoking session, Prof. Ananta Kumar Giri, COMPOSE Fellow at UIII’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Founding Honorary Executive Trustee of the Vishwaneedam Center for Asian Blossoming spoke on “Learning the Art of Wholeness: Integral Education and Beyond.”

Prof. Giri highlighted that the contemporary crisis of education is not merely about quality or curriculum but stems from the illusion of fragmentation. Modern systems, he argued, have disconnected learners from the wholeness of life by prioritizing mental memorization over the development of emotional, vital, spiritual, and social dimensions. He urged the audience to reimagine education not as a mechanical transfer of knowledge, but as a living process that integrates heart, body, mind, nature, and community.

Drawing on his book and rich fieldwork across the world, Prof. Giri shared examples of educational movements that cultivate wholeness. Integral Education, inspired by Indian thinker and spiritual teacher Sri Aurobindo, nurtures every dimension of the learner. Steiner-Waldorf schools teach by storytelling, creativity, and practical engagement. Free schools in Denmark embody community-based learning where children are taken seriously “not as people of tomorrow, but people of today.” These examples, he suggested, prove that education can be both deeply human and academically rich—without being reduced to exams and performance metrics.

Prof. Giri reflected on the dominance of written assessments and scholarly publications that reward technical output but neglect lived wisdom. “Education is not only in papers,” he emphasized, recalling how many meaningful learning moments emerge from conversations, creativity, service, and shared humanity rather than test scores or journal citations.

The talk also ventured into the philosophy of trans-disciplinarity, encouraging educators to dissolve boundaries between subjects such as science, arts, humanities, and ethics. He offered vivid examples of science lessons connected to poetry, water studies linked to spiritual meaning, and cooking classes that explore chemistry while nurturing equality among genders. The challenge, he noted, is to resist treating knowledge as compartmentalized fragments and instead allow learners to experience the world as interconnected.

A central moment in his reflection was his reminder that teachers are not authoritative transmitters but companions in learning. He shared stories of schools where children are engaged with nature, storytelling, and responsibility, and where teachers discover their own authenticity rather than claiming sovereignty over knowledge. He recalled a Waldorf educator’s words: “Children are souls in front of us”—not empty vessels but living beings who deserve respect, dialogue, and encouragement.

In his conclusion, Prof. Giri invited the faculty members and students to rethink educational practice. Instead of treating wholeness as a vague ideal, he challenged everyone to see it as a practical necessity that grounds meaningful learning, sustainable humanity, and ethical engagement.