The end is the beginning

This is almost the end of the semester. But for my dialogue group this is just the beginning. We are still in the elementary stage of development, but I learn quite a lot from the process.

First, micro method is never in a fix stage. I often go back to this method to check the condition of my group. Back and forth and it never stop. Besides that, I meet with new people that gratefully have same passion. Recently, I met a friend that run Indonesian community radio in Brisbane. He interested to have follow up our conversation about my project and interested to bring this "up in the air" in that radio. However, I still think thoroughly about this offer and want to discuss it with other people in the group.

Second, small is beautiful but not without any problems at all. One of the problems in small group movement is the condition that we are heavily rely in relationship and the people themselves. If there is a problem with the relationship or somebody missing, it will effecting the continuity. I just realize that some of my friends in the group will be leaving Brisbane for good. They will finish their study this semester. Oooh, miss u guys..Moreover, I also realize that conducting meeting is not an easy task. Everyone is busy and has different responsibilities. It is hard to have a meeting that suit for everyone timetable. I plan to gather them after all the exams and assignments finish.

Third, process indeed needs time. There is no instant process. Creating a melting pot or safe place for dialogue really needs time. Differences are so real and we need to adapt with these differences. This issue always brings me with the term "moral imagination" that learned quite a lot from Lederach. We need to think differently, out from our comfort zone and try to see on how other see about life and their reality in pursuing peace. This view is suit with the "I-Thou" relationship from Martin Buber that teach us how to engage in a meaningful relationship with other, seeing other as a subject not an object..

Finally, I want to present you the song that accompany me when I reflect about the peace and development goals that I'm pursue in this project. The song is written and sing by Bob Dylan.
If you ask me how long this project will last? the answer is blowin' in the wind

Bob Dylan- Blowin  In the Wind

How many roads most a man walk down
Before you call him a man ?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand ?
Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea ?
Yes, how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free ?
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky ?
Yes, how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry ?
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

(Lyric is taken from here)

Video are taken from Youtube

Peace is not a gift...

And the night chattering with the clouds
About the voices that break the silence
Violence that followed by another violence
And the endless bloody feud

And we were silent generation, chaotic and limp
With what we should fight
Is it not enough all the pain of our ancestors

Words are transmitted,
collected...
Knitted into a story
About our longing
My mother whispered me slowly before I fall asleep
Save your expectations
Continue the journey
Peace is not a gift...

(And for me maybe to restore a society is to restore peace)




This is my poem about peace that I made a year ago. Originally it's in Bahasa and I translate (also rephrasing) it because I think it's quite capturing the vision of the project.

Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Speech December 10, 2009 (Part 4 of 4)

I try to find video that could capture the vision on this project. In my works, I inspired by the work of Buber, Freire, Tagore and Lederach. In this part of speech, Obama mentions about "moral imagination". This line connecting me with the work of John Paul Lederach about his concept on moral imagination in peacebuilding. he said that moral imagination is "the space of recognition that ultimately the quality of our life is dependent on the quality of life of others....; the capacity to give birth to something new that in its very birthing changes our world and the way we see things". (Lederach 2005: 27, 35).
I hope you learn something from this video..


Reference: Lederach, J.P. 2005. The moral imagination : the art and soul of building peace. New York: Oxford University Press. 
Video source: Youtube

Getting deeper

Getting deeper,
This is what I saw from our second meeting on April 10th, 2010. We gathered in Pipit's nice place near campus. She organized the meeting very well well. There were seven people attend the meeting. We succeed to 'capture' new member of the dialogue.
In that meeting we share the meaning of religion to our personal life. Moreover, we try to give our own opinions about the nature of conflicts in Indonesia that mention religion as one of the causes. In our journey to truth, we find that our experience is very unique. Some of us have their religion right now through social modeling and the teaching from significant others since childhood. At first time, it is only taken for granted, but when we are more mature, we see religion as support system and as a needs in the midst of personal troubles. Other people share that having a religion or personal truth is a "seek process". It is a transcendental process between a man and God. The process is so subtle and different with other people. I am so excited that all of us can be honest about our own process and could trust each other in this process. There is no judgment or whatsoever when the experience process is different.

We still analyzing how conflicts could happen in the more complex relationship like in particular communities in Indonesia. Having said that, this dialogue surely open up my eyes in accepting other and try to work together for a peaceful community.

Gnothi Seauton

Gnothi seauton is a famous Greek word which mean "knowing thyself". I remembering this word when I reflected to my first meeting with friends to set up "life2share" group. There were 6 people that could join in this initial meeting on Saturday, 11 April . We came from Islamic and Christian background. We tried to know our self and other in this meeting.

I was very impressed that all of us can share their thought openly. The conversation was flowing and so relax. I felt we were trying to learn to open and try to know more about faith and conflicts that happened in Indonesia.
There are important things that learned from friends who were present on this dialogue about pluralism and peace:A friend opened by saying that such dialogue is necessary for Indonesia. She gave example on how our founding fathers (especially Muhammad Hatta) in his vision of the nation, to put a plurality as the basic foundation of the State rather than religious domination. Pipit also revealed that in terms of ethical understanding, there are currently two conflicting paradigms, namely the cosmopolitan idea of universal values with the idea of nationalism / realism, which tries to see things in compartment or particular. Meanwhile others added that religion should not be used as tools for achieving political power. We saw that the conflict occurred because of excessive fanaticism and bias interpretation of particular verses.

After this dialogue, we agreed to make this as a routine meeting based on the best time that we can allocate beside other responsibilities. We still using 'wait and see' approach. We do not want to rush the progress too fast. For example, we agreed not to expand the group too broad or make it publicly because we need time in strengthening our structure first.

In the beginning...

So, I start to do some "guerrilla". During March, I tried to search people that have same passion about peace and making interfaith dialogue. In the community development analysis, the name is micro process. I start to build conversations with my closest friends in campus. I am so fortunate that I study about community development. With this study, I can talk about any important issues that happen in Indonesia in development perspective that includes peace and faith issues. So I discuss with Andri, my incredible friend of discussion. We share that peace should be start from the most basic things, a relationship.

A book from Lederach reminds us about creating " a moral imagination". One of the story is about a professor in Afghanistan who tried to build peace by making soulful dialogue with one of the Mullah, religious leader in that country. In another story tells how a group of women in Africa try to pursuing peace by doing what women usually do in that area, building a safe market that every women in that community can trade in secure place. The point is, peacebuilding need a creative act. In my own thinking, creating a group is one of the starting point to pursue this objective. I hope it become a snowball of many other positive actions. From the discussion with Andri, I learnt that this group is not only for share the common things but also understanding differences.

I also try to engage with other friends, that have same eagerness. Most of them agreed that the dialogue should build in mutual and respectful relationship. It is good to focus on how people can share their perspective that can help others. A friend agreed that 'just be yourself' in the group. My other friend Ratna who interested to join in the group said she is longing of this kind of dialogue since she has similar group while she in Indonesia. In short, this micro method 0-1 process succeed in reaching 7 people. We agreed to meet this weekend just to set up first meeting. I really hope we can enjoy our discussion and knowing the expectation of each persons. Therefore, I cross my finger for this meeting. Just lets do some actions!

Life2Share Community

Yea,
I have difficulties in pouring my progress in this blog. I try to, like now...
So, at previous article, I explain about my view on community. Now, I want to explain about the community that I tried to build. I want to say it "Life2Share" community. The idea is so simple. It is a 'melting pot' community. Friends that come from different perspectives of faith joining together as a group and share their worldview to other in a good sense of dialogue and respecting other.

Why I am thinking to made this group?
It starts when I'm thinking about my country, Indonesia. Indonesia, as we know, is very diverse, including the religion. However, I am so sad that I see in the last 10 years there are several social upheavals that occurred in Indonesia because of religion matters that might create crisis of nationhood. Even though, many people might argue that those conflicts are complex and multifaceted, but many reports and news said that religion factors still prominent (See this and there). We live in diversity, but why is it difficult to accept difference? What's happening? It would certainly be many reasons and will be a study that is profound and widespread.

I have passion in doing something about peace in Indonesia. Studying community development and some of Peace studies courses make me realize that peace-building efforts should start from the simple and small things. And for me it started from my own and those around me. One thing that cross in my mind is how to connect my incredible friends from various background to build a group or small community that have same passion for better Indonesia, a peaceful Indonesia. I believe if people can share their worldview and listen to other as well, the empathy will flourish and peace process will start when we can engage with other. This is the embryo of "life2share" community.

What do you think? How the small community can contribute in ‘peace process”?