UIN Jakarta Students Participate in National Community Service Program Promoting Religious Moderation in Yogyakarta
Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta – A team of six students from Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta recently completed a month-long Community Service (KKN) program in Dukuh Boro, Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta Province. The KKN, conducted in 2025, centered around the theme of “Religious Moderation for the Archipelago,” focusing on strengthening tolerance, solidarity, and interfaith understanding within the local community.
The students engaged in several key initiatives designed to foster these values. Ridho Rizki Balebat,a participating student,highlighted three flagship projects. “Recognizing that the majority of dukuh Boro residents are Catholic, we organized interfaith dialogues, including an ecotheology dialog that brought together Catholic leaders, representatives from the local Environment Office (DLH), and villagers to discuss the intersection of faith and environmental conservation,” he explained.
The team also implemented a “Moderation School” program at the Catholic Girls’ Orphanage, and also at the Marsudirini Foundation’s kindergarten and elementary school. This program aimed to introduce young students to the rich religious and ethnic diversity of Indonesia. Additionally, the students worked to promote local history, highlighting the importance of Watukeker and the MBKD Monument as examples of positive local wisdom.
Ridho shared a notably impactful experience: being invited to participate in the Eucharist during a local funeral. “We worked alongside residents – preparing the house, serving food, and even assisting with carrying the coffin to the cemetery. Through this, we directly observed Catholic prayer traditions held on the third, seventh, and hundredth day after death, wich share striking similarities with Javanese muslim customs.” He added, “it was a valuable experience that deepened my understanding of shared traditions.”
Reflecting on the program’s impact, Ridho expressed his hopes for the future. “I hope the spirit of interfaith solidarity continues to flourish in Boro. For the children, I wish they grow up embracing Indonesia’s diversity and unity. And personally, this experience reinforced the importance of being present for others, regardless of their faith.”
The 2025 KKN deployment saw UIN Jakarta send a total of 5,091 students across various program formats. This included 3,951 students in regular programs across Depok, Bogor, Tangerang, and South Tangerang; 1,060 in campus-based placements within 83 university units; 104 participating in student institution (UKM) programs; and 59 involved in international programs in Malaysia, Japan, and saudi Arabia, alongside nine others through AIESEC partnerships in four countries.
The six students sent to Dukuh boro were part of a larger cohort of participants from 33 State Islamic Religious Universities (PTKIN), 34 Islamic Religious Colleges (PTKI), and one Islamic Private University (PTKIS) across Indonesia. UIN Jakarta views this participation as a concrete step towards promoting religious moderation and interfaith harmony, reaffirming its commitment to fostering tolerance, diversity, and social cohesion nationwide.
(Kareena Auliya J./Fauziah M./Zaenal M./muhamad Arifin Ilham)
