Text: The Australia-Indonesia Muslim Exchange Program is celebrating its 10th year
Text: This year’s Australian exchange participants are concluding a two-week visit to Indonesia
“Assalamu Alaikum Warohmatullahi Wabarokatuh, Selamat malam and G’day
Text: Assmaah Helal (Community Coordinator, Football United, Sydney)
So we visited three main cities, so currently in Jakarta. We visited Yogyakarta and Bandung.
And we visited a range of different organisations: Muhammadyah, NU, Muslim Movements trying to
preserve the faith but also be progressive; universities, Islamic universities, pesantrens
(Islamic boarding schools), NGOs, temples, mosques, museums, a whole of variety of themes,
meeting amazing people, learning different things.”
Text: Ayman Islam (Clinical Psychology Graduate, Melbourne)
“We get to talk about our experiences in Australia being I guess a minority religion
in Australia. It’s obviously a majority in Indonesia, but just our experience in Australia
and how we find Indonesia.”
Text: Kemal Brkic (Police Officer, Melbourne)
“A lot of organisations and a lot of people that are doing great work and have inspired
us, so when we go back to Melbourne we can do something, you know, for the Muslim community.”
Text: Professor Julia Day Howell (Australia Indonesia Institute Board Member; Centre for Study of Contemporary Muslim Societies, University of Western Sydney)
“This is a program that was started about ten years ago, specifically to recognise that
religion is an important part of the culture of both countries actually and often people
in the one country don’t really know enough about that cultural, that part cultural life in the other country.”
“The reality of Islam in Indonesia is that it’s extremely diverse and that there is
not one way that a Muslim will practice Islam. There seems to be various ways, mixed with
culture as well. But the beautiful thing about it is that, you know, everyone’s striving
to please God, to worship God in their own ways and not enforce their own opinions on others."
“Islam in Indonesia I guess the word they like to use is plural. But I think it’s
practised in the right way in Indonesia. It’s very peaceful; it’s got a space for other
religions. I think it’s a very good example of Islam in practice in the world today.”
“After Saudi Arabia-I’ve been to Hajj before-and I thought it would be more Islamic
and to come here and realise there are six recognised religions but so many more. And,
you know, looking outside of my hotel room there is a big massive church with, you know,
a big graveyard full of Christian graves, you know, that’s something that I wouldn’t have expected.”
Text: Farinia Fianto (Inernational Center for Islam and Pluralism, Jakarta; MEP Alumni 2005)
“I went to Australia in 2005. I did a visit to several NGOs as well as government institutions
and I found that it’s very interesting to see the diversity in Australia because it
surprises me because when I was in Australia I found out that the Islamic community, Muslim
community, Jewish community and Christian community they are working together and sort
of overcoming the problem, the issues about the tolerance, about the pluralism sort of like that.” 0:03:37.820,0:03:36.820 “We look for people who have an interest in learning about the world. Ten Indonesians
per year and five Australians per year. Pretty much a balance by gender, to experience the
religious cultural life in all its diversity of the other country, but also people who
have a network in their own community that they can use to share their experiences more widely.”
“I am helping to manage a micro finance program in Victoria at the moment and just
being able to talk to people that are doing the same thing in Indonesia sort of broaden
my horizon. I hope to take that back and, you know, implement some of the ideas back in Australia and make it better.”
“I work as community coordinator for Football United which is a sport for social development
organisation working with refugee young people. I also work with the Islamic Egyptian society
but I’m also trying empower Muslim women through sports. So we run female only sporting
activities and soccer tournaments as well, trying to engage them through sports but in
culturally appropriate environment.”
“I actually teach Islam in a government state school. It was first introduced by non
profit organisation Arkan Toledo. The Muslim community wasn’t aware that we could actually
teach Islam in schools but we have all religious denominations teaching in schools and I was
actually the first one in Victoria to teach at a non-Islamic school this year.”
“It’ll help me work with the Muslim community in Australia. I think, a lot better. Just
from a personal perspective, just understanding that, you know, there are also Muslims in Australia
that practise the religion differently and keeping an open mind and just engaging even
with the Indonesian community in Australia a bit better as well.”
“Ya, it’s funny actually, when I went to Australia I met a Muslim NGO and as well
as a Jewish community and Christian community but there was a Jewish community who sent
me email regularly up until now and I found out that their activity is quite inspiring
because when I see the Jewish and Muslim community especially their mother, and their women too,
and they come up with how to take action to bridge the differences, to acknowledge each
other, to respect each other and it sort of gives me inspiration to adopt and perhaps
modify a little bit and put it in practice to my work field.”
“I know the people that I’ve travelled with this week and a half that I will remain
friends with them forever. It’s just those networks are with the Indonesians that I’ve
met in the week and half, I have no doubt that I’ll maintain contact with them.”
“This is an opportunity that, you know, any Muslim Australian should take up because
you learn so much about yourself, about your own faith, about the country with, you know,
the biggest Muslim population, how they react to different situations, differences of opinions
and so much that we could learn from it.”
“Yes, absolutely I’d recommend it to anyone that’s interested in Islam or in Indonesia.
It’s just a fantastic program. The best piece of advice would be to, it’s very hectic
but very rewarding at the same time, so be prepared, learn a little bit more about the
Indonesian culture I guess and the politics. Just have a great time.”
Text: With thanks to the MEP 2011-12 participants
Text: MEP is supported and organised by the Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII) and the Islamic Council of Victoria
Text: For more: www.dfat.gov.au/aii/ or www.indonesia.embassy.gov.au/