Yogyakarta, April 24, 2025 — In an era marked by deepening ideological rifts, identity clashes, and widening inequalities, a different kind of forum emerged in Yogyakarta—quiet yet transformative. The ICRS Unconference, hosted by the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies, opened with a powerful premise: polarization is not just a theory to be studied, but a lived, urgent reality—one that demands dialogue, reflection, and action.

Taking place at Universitas Gadjah Mada, the unconference brought together scholars, activists, indigenous leaders, and digital reformers from across the Global South. Rather than beginning with hierarchy or headline speeches, the event invited participants to engage as equals—to share insights, lived experiences, and ideas across disciplines, beliefs, and national borders.

The day began with Plenary Session 1, a compelling talk show-style dialogue featuring:

• Daniel Medina (Institute for Integrated Transitions, Colombia)
• Ana Carolina Evangelista (Institute of Studies on Religion/ISER, Brazil)
• Nicholas Adams (University of Birmingham, UK)
• Nurhuda Ramli (IMAN Research, Malaysia)

Moderated by Dicky Sofjan (ICRS), the panel highlighted how deeply polarization is embedded in political and social fabrics across continents—from fragile democracies to complex multicultural societies.

Afterward, the event’s thematic clusters were introduced by leading figures in the field:

• Fatimah Husein (Gender and Social Justice)
• Zainal Abidin Bagir (Environmental Justice)
• Leo Chrysostomos Epafras (Digital Inclusion)
• Dicky Sofjan (Religion and Political Polarization)

Each cluster offered a lens into the multidimensional nature of polarization, reinforcing that the issue can only be understood in its full depth when approached from many angles.

In the afternoon, Plenary Session 2 turned to the experiences of indigenous religious communities in digital spaces, featuring:

• Damar Juniarto (PIKAT Demokrasi, Indonesia)
• Andri Hernandi (Majelis Luhur Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan Yang Maha Esa, Indonesia)
• Keamogetswe Seipato (South African Social Justice Activist)

Moderated by Leonard Chrysostomos Epafras, the session explored the tension between tradition and technology, highlighting how digital divides amplify existing marginalization.

As the day continued, parallel sessions deepened the conversation:

• Fatimah Husein and Alimatul Qibtiyah led a moving discussion around the documentary “Three Voices”, focusing on gender and polarization through the lens of Muslim women’s experiences.
• Samsul Maarif presented the citizen-driven environmental documentary “Di Bawah Bayang-Bayang Mata Bor”, which revealed community struggles with extractive industry politics.
• Dicky Sofjan, Ana Carolina Evangelista, Nicholas Adams, and Ihsan Ali Fauzi explored religion’s complex role in political polarization, opening up hard questions about faith and power.

In the final session, Jonathan Smith (CRCS UGM) led an open reflection, where facilitators shared insights and key takeaways. Rather than offering resolutions, the session fostered mutual recognition and solidarity—acknowledging that the first step to bridging divides is understanding that we are not alone in facing them.

The day closed with the premiere of the documentary “Pancasila is Me: Antara Warga dan Kuasa”, facilitated by M. Iqbal Ahnaf. The film making it a fitting conclusion to a day filled with honest conversations and courageous storytelling.