Most Indonesians have some kind of religious faith. Despite the statutory guarantee of religious freedom, politicians and radical groups exploit religion in their own struggles for power. Radical Islamist groups propagate an exclusive understanding of religion and the use of violence to enforce the creation of an Islamic state in Indonesia with Islamic law at the cost of other religions and worldviews. Islamic minorities (Ahmadiyya and Shiites) are persecuted and displaced, long-standing churches are forced to close, and atheists are imprisoned. Evangelical groups seeking to convert Muslims also exacerbate the mistrust between religious communities. Radical groups target young people via social media and by infiltrating the staff at high schools and universities in order to find recruits. And they succeed – after all, many young people are looking for a stable sense of identity.

The interfaith peacebuilding program set up by Mission 21 involves Muslim and Christian partners and is working toward targeted measures to prevent religious extremism: Interfaith youth camps are helping young people to build trust and make friendships that span their different religions. This has given rise to sustainable interfaith networks that see hundreds of young adults making a stand for tolerance and the peaceful coexistence of religions. As “peer educators” they are able, in turn, to arrange new interfaith meetings, reaching the wider public with imaginative campaigns on the streets and the Internet. The rise in tolerance is palpable in major cities like Bandung and Banjarmasin where there is a strong Muslim influence. Interfaith training sessions for teaching staff will also be enhanced in future due to increasing radicalization at schools and universities.

A closer look at Indonesia is worthwhile for learning more about how violent extremism among young adults can be prevented.