Working to promote freedom of conscience for every person, no matter who they are or where they live.

IRLA Secretary General Meets Senior Indonesian Religious Leaders

In early March, IRLA Secretary General Dr. John Graz led a delegation to Indonesia where he met government leaders and a broad range of religious leaders to discuss ways of improving relations between Muslim and Christian populations. Among those he met were the Indonesian Director of Religious Affairs, the two of the largest Muslim organizations in Indonesia - Professor Dr. Din Syamsuddin, President of the Central Board of the Muhammadiyah and Professor Dr. H. M. Ridwan Lubis of Nahdlatul Ulama - and Catholic and Protestant leaders.

"Christians are well integrated into Indonesian society," States Graz, "but pressure from violent Muslim extremists in some areas makes their lives more difficult when it comes to opening a school or a church. We had frank and very productive discussions about the challenge faced from these fringe elements of society, and on ways the IRLA can work with Indonesian civil society to promote inter-religious understanding and peace."