Yogyakarta — On Saturday (15/11/2025), the Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance (Bimas Islam) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs held its annual Ngaji Budaya at UIN Sunan Kalijaga, raising the theme “The Wonder of Harmony” ahead of International Tolerance Day.

Director General Prof. Dr. H. Abu Rohmat, M.A., said tolerance, harmony, and compassion are “immeasurable social capital” Indonesia must continue to nurture. He reminded students that Indonesians practiced coexistence long before the world formalized International Tolerance Day.

UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan connected the program to the cultural legacy of Sunan Kalijaga, who spread Islam through art, culture, and music. Tolerance, he said, must be lived daily and rooted in the willingness to embrace differences.

Acting Director of Islamic Religious Information Dr. H. Ahmad Zayadi emphasized that culture and religion in Indonesia form a “mutualistic symbiosis,” making Ngaji Budaya central to contemporary da’wah and the Ministry’s Tolerance Day initiatives.

Musician Sabrang Mowo Damar Panuluh (Mas Noe) delivered one of the event’s standout reflections, stressing the urgency of cultivating Vertical Harmony—bridging generational divides. He underscored the need to distinguish enduring values, such as courtesy, from evolving expressions shaped by technology.

The program concluded with musical and selawat performances, reinforcing a unifying message: harmony must be lived as a daily ethic across Indonesia’s diverse society.