Indonesian Muslims Explore Islam in Australia

A delegation of young Indonesian Muslim leaders- Bayu Jatmiko from North Sulawesi, Muhammad Irsyadul Ibad from Yogyakarta and Mi’rajurahhman from South Kalimantan departed for Australia yesterday to participate in a bilateral exchange program aimed at strengthening understanding if Islam and inter-faith issues in both countries.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said their visit aimed to show the group the broad cultural diversity of Australian Muslims, made up of 70 different ethnic backgrounds, including from Indonesia. “Islam in Australia is one of the country’s fastest growing religions and makes an enormous contribution to the success of contemporary, multicultural Australia,” the Ambassador said.

Muslim contact with Australia pre-dates European settlement and goes back to the sixteenth century when Macassan traders and fishermen shared their lives with local Indigenous people throughout northern Australia.

“It is also important that these young Indonesian Muslims are able to contribute to Australia’s understanding of the role of religion in Indonesia and share their perspectives on a range of issues,” the Ambassador added.

During their two week program in Australia (31 May-13 June 2010) they will visit Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra and meet with community and religious leaders, academics and media representatives. The delegation will experience the diversity of Australian society, the ways government and non-government organisations engage the community, and exchange ideas on the future of Australia-Indonesia relations. They will also have a private viewing of the “You Am I” exhibition by Australian Muslim artists in Melbourne and meet members of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Victoria’s peak Islamic body.

This is the final delegation from Indonesia visiting Australia under the Australia-Indonesia Institute Muslim Exchange Program between March-June 2010. From 16-30 May, five young Muslim leaders from Australia made a reciprocal visit to Indonesia to learn firsthand about Indonesia’s diverse, democratic and tolerant society.

The Muslim Exchange Program was established by the Australian Government through the Australia-Indonesia Institute in 2002. Over the past two decades, the Institute has fulfilled a unique and vital role in fostering friendship and understanding between Australia and Indonesia through projects in the arts, music, education, youth, civil society, interfaith, media and sport.

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