On Tuesday (29/11/2022), it was a new history in strengthening religious moderation and defending the country in public universities (PTU). On that day was the launching of a new forum at PTU, namely Griya Moderation of Religion and State Defense (MBBN). The launching was held at the Makara Art Center Building, University of Indonesia, Depok.
The launching of Griya was inaugurated by the Deputy Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia (Wamenag) Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi in the presence of the Director of State Defense of the Ministry of Defense and nine universities as a Pilot Project. The Indonesian Education University (UPI) is one of the tertiary institutions that entered the Pilot Project in addition to eight other public universities, including UI, UGM, UM, UNESA, and UNISMA. Griya MBBN is a collaboration between three ministries, namely the Ministry of Religion, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Education and Culture.
“I invite all Chancellors who are present at this opportunity to build a joint concept for Defending the Country which can be used as a guide for all students and lecturers in their respective environments,” emphasized the Deputy Minister of Religion. “This collaboration is realized because Defending the State is the determination, attitude, and behavior and actions of citizens, both individually and collectively in safeguarding state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of the nation and state which is imbued with love for the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia based on Pancasila and The 1945 Constitution ensures the survival of the Indonesian people and the State from various threats,” he explained. The Deputy Minister of Religion explained, in 2021, the Minister of Religion had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Minister of Defense regarding Fostering State Defense Awareness. This collaboration also involved 12 other Ministers, including: Coordinating Minister for Law, Politics and Security, Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, and Minister of State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform.
Meanwhile the Director General of Defense Potential read out by the Director of State Defense stated that religious moderation was a strategic effort in order to strengthen tolerance and strengthen harmony in diversity. Meanwhile, Defending the Country is the determination, attitude, behavior, and actions of citizens, both individually and collectively in maintaining state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of the nation and state, which is imbued with love for the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution, to guarantee survival of the nation and state from various threats. “Religious moderation and State Defense have a very close relationship. The two go hand in hand to complement each other by forming mindsets, attitudes and behaviors that love the homeland (hubbul wathon) that love diversity and diversity towards all citizens. Concretely, religious moderation and state defense must begin to be embedded in the scope of education, starting from early childhood education to tertiary institutions.
The Griya MBBN Launching event ended with the beating of the gong by the Deputy Minister of Religion followed by the Director General of Education, the Director of State Defense of the Ministry of Defense, the Director of PAI, and Chancellors from nine public tertiary institutions. After that, the Griya MBBN Inscription was signed.