As part of its ongoing efforts to promote peaceful coexistence and interfaith dialogue in Southeast Asia, the Muslim Council of Elders is organizing ‘Harmony Camp 2025’ in Bandung, Indonesia, from February 24 to 27, 2025. The camp is being held in collaboration with several organizations dedicated to interfaith dialogue and environmental issues, including Eco Learning Camp-Bandung, the Center for Islamic Studies at the National University of Indonesia, the Gusdurian Network, and Greenfaith Indonesia.
The event is being coordinated by the Southeast Asia Regional Branch of the Muslim Council of Elders, headquartered in Jakarta. It will bring together forty young men and women from six different religious backgrounds, selected from among dozens of applicants for this unique initiative. The camp aims to foster mutual understanding among followers of different faiths, provide a platform for dialogue and communication among young people, and raise environmental awareness by highlighting the role of religious values in climate protection.
This initiative is part of the Muslim Council of Elders’ broader mission to advance peaceful coexistence in Southeast Asia. The Council is dedicated to promoting dialogue, tolerance, and human fraternity among people of different cultures and religions while encouraging youth participation in initiatives that contribute to building more peaceful and inclusive societies.
Harmony Camp 2025 also builds on the Council’s longstanding commitment to youth engagement. Previous initiatives include the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, which held its first edition in London in 2018 and its second in Geneva in 2022, providing a platform for interfaith and intercultural dialogue among young leaders. Additionally, the Council co-organized the Azadi Youth Fellowship in Pakistan, which trains young people to be ambassadors for peace and coexistence, as well as the Student Fellowship Dialogues for Human Fraternity in partnership with Georgetown University.
In line with its religious commitment to environmental and climate issues, the Muslim Council of Elders has played a leading role in this field. It organized the Religions for Climate Summit in Abu Dhabi in November 2023, which culminated in the launch of the ‘Call of Conscience: Abu Dhabi Joint Statement of Religious Leaders for Climate’. The Council also spearheaded the first-ever ‘Faith Pavilion’ at COP28 and at COP29 in Baku, further advancing the engagement of religious leaders in addressing global environmental challenges.
‘Harmony Camp 2025’ underscores the Muslim Council of Elders’ commitment to supporting youth-led initiatives, fostering interfaith and intercultural cooperation, and integrating religious values into environmental efforts, ultimately contributing to sustainable development based on the principles of coexistence and peace in Southeast Asia and beyond.