Celebrating Vesak, Community Promotes Tolerance and Harmony in Diversity
By: Linda Permata
The community continues to echo the values of tolerance and harmony in the diversity of life in Indonesia, especially when celebrating Vesak Day 2024.
In this year’s Vesak celebration, several communities and elements of society have prepared themselves to welcome this big day, the peak of the celebration is from May 18 to May 24 2024, exactly when the full moon shines.
During the Vesak celebration, all elements, which also consist of several communities, never cease to promote tolerance and harmony within the framework of diversity.
The reason is that diversity itself has become a necessary essence in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), even before this nation achieved independence, all of its people lived with very different backgrounds from one another.
One element of society that is also preparing to welcome Vesak Day is InJourney. Regarding preparations for the big day, InJourney’s Director of Marketing and Tourism Programs, Maya Wartono, said that the Tri Suci Vesak celebration in the Borobudur Temple area from 18 to 24 May will not just be a celebration of religious rituals.
Much more than just a celebration of security rituals, this year’s Vesak is also related to efforts to foster a spirit of tolerance and harmony in the diversity of society.
Of course, to realize a spirit of tolerance and harmony within the framework of diversity, there must also be collaboration between cross-sectors, so that all parties are able to jointly promote the various universal values of Borobudur Temple as a global, holistic spiritual center.
The Vesak 2568 BE celebration this time also continues to receive full support from many parties such as the central government through the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia, then also the ranks of security forces from the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the Indonesian National Army and the State Intelligence Agency (BIN). It’s not enough to stop there, but the local Regional Government (Pemda) as well as elements of society also provide their full support.
Deputy Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Indonesian Ulema Council (Wantim MUI), K.H. Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi invited all Buddhists to continue to uphold an attitude of tolerance, both internally and between religious communities throughout the country.
Because with this attitude of tolerance, it is very important considering that the Indonesian nation is actually a very diverse nation with a lot of diversity in ethnicity, religion, race, culture and so on.
Therefore, as a very diverse country, all communities and religious communities in Indonesia have the same responsibilities and obligations, namely upholding a sense of mutual tolerance in order to continue to maintain peace and the integrity of the unity and unity of the Republic of Indonesia.
Tolerance itself is an open attitude to accept, then also listen to other people’s opinions even though they are different. The existence of a sense of tolerance will actually never damage confidence, because this is related to efforts to respect other people.
Buddhists should also be able to take an active role in making positive contributions to each other, including continuing to provide full support to various government programs for the sake of state stability.
Celebrating Vesak Day in 2024, all elements from various sectors, including communities, share a sense of tolerance and harmony in the diversity of life in Indonesia.
*) Social and Cultural Observer at the Indomedia Gala Institute
