by Mathias Hariyadi

The Archdiocese of Semarang organised an event that brought together leaders of all denominations to boost relations of friendship. Each community prepared dances and songs. The region, which has a Muslim majority, has always been an example of tolerance.

Kudus (AsiaNews) – Representatives from all religions gathered in Kudus last Sunday for a festival organised at the Balai Budaya Rejosari (Rejosari Culture Hall or BBR), which is part of the Archdiocese of Semarang, central Java.

The celebration was held to “forget” the ongoing drought, mark the 70th anniversary of the country’s independence, boost interfaith relations and provide local talent a venue, project director Fr YB Haryono said.

The event lasted from 10 am until dawn the next day. It saw several cultural activities by young Catholics and Protestants, Hindu Manipuren dancers, and displays by Buddhist and indigenous people. Fr Lukas Purnawan Heri, a Catholic priest, staged a Chinese puppet show. Muslims took part in great number as well.

Local leaders like Kiai Hajj Happy from Pati, Gus Ubaidilah Ahmad from Rembang and Mas Gunretno from Sedulur Sikep took part in conferences on religious issues.

Organisers picked the bamboo cane as the event’s symbol. For Fr Haryono, "The bamboo is a symbol of national unity, because its fibres represent different people in society, which are accepted as one body."

The city of Kudus, on the east coast of Java, has a rich Islamic tradition. It is also the only location in Java that acquired and kept its name, the Arabic name al-Quds', or Jerusalem, since the 16th century.

Eastern Java, commonly called ‘Pantura Timur,’ is home to the country’s largest Muslim organizations, like Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).

The region has always been an example of peaceful coexistence between different religions, and has been spared incidents of sectarian violence. Members of all faiths are referred to with syncretistic term "Samin".

The celebration began two years ago at the initiative of Mgr Pujasumarta, archbishop of Semarang as an annual event in order to boost the sense of shared living, becoming a "religious and cultural" centre for everyone.

"The religion of the people who come to us does not matter,” Fr Haryono told AsiaNews. “Everyone is always welcome and can use our facilities for any purpose: cultural activities, interfaith gatherings or anything else."

On 13 August, the centre, with the cooperation of Fr Aloys Budi Purnomo, head of the interreligious Commission of the Archdiocese of Semarang, brought together religious leaders and the political and military authorities, to draw up a statement against religious violence.

The event was organised in response to incidents in Tolikara in late July, when two Protestant churches were destroyed.

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