The Faculty of Da'wah and Communication (FDK) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta has once again strengthened its role as an academic space that brings Islamic studies together with pressing contemporary social issues, through the 10th International Da'wah Conference (IDACON) in 2026. The event was held on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at Hotel Mustika in Yogyakarta, under the theme “Da'wah, Humanity, and Global Coexistence: Repositioning Religion in a Fragmented World.”

As the conference marks a full decade, IDACON 2026 offered a moment to reflect on the position of da'wah in a changing world shaped by geopolitical conflict, social fragmentation, digital technology and artificial intelligence, ecological crisis, and growing divergence in how people understand facts, knowledge, and truth.

Through this forum, FDK UIN Sunan Kalijaga positions da'wah not only as the delivery of religious messages, but also as part of the effort to build a shared life that is more inclusive, just, and sustainable, and oriented toward humanity.

Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, who served as keynote speaker, highlighted the challenges facing da'wah in a world increasingly fragmented by geopolitical conflict, social division, digital polarization, ecological crisis, and changes in how people obtain and make sense of information.

“Da'wah needs to be understood more broadly as a transformative force. Through da'wah, we build trust, strengthen social relationships, promote reconciliation, and honor human dignity,” he said.

In his view, the success of da'wah should also be measured by its contribution to social healing and ethical transformation. Da'wah must also be able to adapt to digital and AI developments while responding to humanitarian and environmental concerns. Digital literacy, ethical communication, humanitarian service, and ecological awareness are now essential to the development of da'wah.

Also speaking was FDK Dean Prof. Dr. Arif Maftuhin, who presented on inclusivity and disability fiqh. He noted that religious institutions often grant concessions (rukhsah) to persons with disabilities without fundamentally changing the structure of the services they offer.

He argued that inclusivity must go further than granting dispensations. Institutions need to re-evaluate their spaces, language, procedures, and service systems so that everyone can participate fully.

“When an institution's spaces, language, and procedures do not yet provide full access, the question must change. It is no longer about what concession we can offer, but what we must change so that everyone feels they belong and are part of the community,” he said.

Prof. Frans Wijsen, a professor at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, presented empirical data on public perceptions of environmental conservation. He cautioned that religious doctrine does not automatically change human behavior unless it is accompanied by exemplary conduct and concrete action.

“Environmental problems do not arise because people lack information, but because of how that information is processed. Eco-da'wah requires direct commitment, which means practicing what you preach,” he said.

The ecological perspective was further reinforced by Prof. Siti Syamsiyatun of FDK UIN Sunan Kalijaga, who brought an Islamic ecofeminist perspective and drew on the experiences of religious women's movements, including 'Aisyiyah and Muslimat NU.

Prof. Atun, as she is widely known, emphasized the importance of broadening the understanding of maqāṣid al-sharī'ah to include environmental protection, or ḥifẓ al-bī'ah, as part of a shared trust grounded in faith.

“The earth is not a resource to be conquered, but part of divine consciousness. Environmental destruction is not merely a technical or economic problem, but a spiritual violation against creation,” she said.

The conference also brought together practical experiences from different countries in translating religious values into institutional life and community empowerment.

Dr. Nik Suhaida Nik Abdul Majid of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) shared her experience of how local wisdom and Islamic values can be translated into professional institutional governance, including in the halal industry and Islamic finance.

In her view, the challenge for da'wah going forward lies not only in the ability to convey teachings, but also in the ability to contextualize those values so they take shape in institutions that benefit society.

Meanwhile, Shu-Hua Kang, Ph.D., a lecturer in the Department of Social Work at National Taipei University in Taiwan, shared a participatory arts-based social work approach as a method for helping heal social wounds and violence.

Drawing on projects such as the Together With You exhibition and the Ama Museum, she showed how art can give communities a space to confront traumatic experiences, build empathy, and offer social recognition of victims' dignity.

“Arts-based practice allows painful memories to be confronted in a meaningful way, while creating a participatory public space for empathy and social recognition of the humanity of victims,” she said.

Bayu Mitra A. Kusuma, M.AP., M.Pol.Sc., Ph.D., Convener of IDACON 2026, said the 10th edition holds special significance.

“This year's IDACON is especially meaningful because it marks a decade of this conference as an academic forum that brings together ideas, experiences, and networks from diverse backgrounds to broaden the academic conversation on da'wah and society,” he said.

At this 10th edition, IDACON brought together 51 papers. Thirty-five were selected through a Call for Papers, while the other 16 came from Participatory Action Research (PAR) projects funded by FDK UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta.

In all, IDACON 2026 involved 143 authors, including presenters and co-authors, representing 22 universities from five countries: 16 institutions from Indonesia and six from abroad.

The papers addressed a wide range of issues, including digital da'wah, artificial intelligence, media and religious authority, environmental issues, gender, family, social welfare, community empowerment, and the challenges communities face.

The ideas that emerged at IDACON 2026 show that da'wah has an ever-wider role to play in responding to societal concerns. Da'wah is not only about how religion is communicated, but also about how religious values are put into action.

Through the 10th IDACON, FDK UIN Sunan Kalijaga reaffirmed its commitment to developing da'wah scholarship and practice that is transformative, inclusive, collaborative, knowledge-based, and responsive to real community needs, as part of an effort to build a shared life that is more humane, just, and inclusive and sustainable. (humassk)