WNAM REPORT: Indonesia’s Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) highlighted the importance of interfaith dialogue between Indonesia and the Vatican following Pope Leo XIV’s accession as leader of the Catholic Church.
“Interfaith dialogue will be consistent with his papal mission to build bridges and dialogues to realize world peace,” Darmansjah Djumala, a member of the BPIP Board of Experts for foreign relations strategy, stated here on Monday.
Indonesia views Pope Leo XIV as a leader with a strong commitment to bolstering interfaith dialogue and expects him to guide the Church in building bridges and encouraging peace among people.
Moreover, the new pope has promised to continue the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who consistently advocated for world peace and cessation of wars during his papacy.
“Such interfaith dialogue will help create bridges of mutual understanding and respect between religious communities. It will help foster peace for humanity in the long run,” Djumala stated.
The BPIP member stated that Pope Leo XIV’s commitment to peace and justice for all resonates with the values of Indonesia’s Pancasila and the norms of Indonesian diplomacy.
He also referenced the February 3 meeting between Pope Francis and BPIP Steering Committee Chief Megawati Soekarnoputri, during which the latter spoke to the Pope about Pancasila’s universal values as a foundation for world peace.
Djumala remarked that Pope Leo XIV’s mission for peace also aligns with the Preamble of the Indonesian Constitution, which mandates the nation to “participate in the establishment of a world order based on freedom, perpetual peace, and social justice.”
