GARDA: Garut Youth Interfaith for Peace

Two months after her father passed away, AAN (initials), a young Shi’a woman from the Muslimah ABI community, still remembers that day vividly. “The one who recited the talkin (funeral prayer) wasn’t from our family,” she said quietly. “One by one, my relatives distanced themselves, until only the Shi’a leader remained.” AAN’s voice trembled as she shared her story in a small discussion circle at the 2023 Youth Interfaith Camp (YIC) in Garut. In that room, thirty young people from various backgrounds—Muslim, Christian, Shi’a, Ahmadiyya, and Sunda Wiwitan—lived together for several days to learn the meaning of freedom of religion and belief.

Among them was Amatus Salam, a young Ahmadiyya woman who carried a similar story. “Even the teachers didn’t help us when we were bullied—verbally or physically,” she said. She recalled her childhood in her village, where her family’s house was often stoned. “We had a garden, and people would say it was halal to steal from the Ahmadiyya,” she added with a bitter smile. The room fell silent. For some participants, stories like these were the first they had ever heard directly from those who experienced them.

But not everyone came with pain. Some came with curiosity. Farhan Mubarok, a representative from SEPMI, said, “I’ve never experienced discrimination, but here I’m learning empathy.” Meanwhile, Tia Pramesti from Fatayat NU Tasikmalaya admitted that much of what she had heard before was wrong. “After meeting them in person, I began to see them as humans—not labels.”

Aji Muhammad Fauzi, a student from BEM STIEBNU, shared his deep reflection: “When I was still in the pesantren, I was very fanatical. I was taught that non-Muslims were evil. But after I truly interacted with them, I realized—they’re just like us. Good and faithful.”

Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

The 2023 Youth Interfaith Camp became a milestone for Fatayat NU West Java. For the first time, this young women’s organization involved youth from multiple faiths in a joint program. For several days, they didn’t just hold dialogues—they lived together: eating at the same table, sleeping in the same room, and praying in the same space, though in different ways.

From that gathering, two interfaith youth communities were born: Youth Interfaith Garut and Youth Interfaith Tasikmalaya—small but growing hubs of dialogue and solidarity in regions long considered homogeneous. Fatayat NU didn’t stop there; they continued mentoring these groups to help them build confidence and create safe spaces in their respective communities.

In May 2024, representatives of Youth Interfaith Garut had the opportunity to meet with the Garut Interfaith Harmony Forum (FKUB). At first, there was concern that young voices would be drowned out by senior religious leaders. But the opposite happened—minority youth, including Shi’a and Ahmadiyya members, bravely expressed their concerns. Although one FKUB member objected to their presence, the meeting became a crucial milestone: for the first time, interfaith youth in Garut were recognized as equals in a formal religious forum.

Nurturing Empathy in Houses of Worship

A few weeks after the dialogue, that spirit of tolerance blossomed into real action. Fatayat NU, together with the Christian Women’s Community (Kawani FKKG), the Ahmadiyya Women’s Group (Lajnah Imaillah), and Youth Interfaith Garut, held an Interfaith Social Discussion at the Pasundan Christian Church in Garut—right in the middle of Ramadan. The event included sharing basic goods, distributing iftar meals, and breaking the fast together.

Reverend Sri Yusuf Wibowo, the host, said, “Differences lead to two possibilities: duel or duet. Hopefully, we choose to duet.” He added, “Remember, Jesus was crucified by fanatics. Let us not become fanatics who demean others.” Meanwhile, speaker Hilwan Fanaqi reminded everyone, “Civil society organizations must continue to remind the state that these rights are fundamental.” Fatayat NU Garut Chairwoman Hj. Ai Sadidah closed the event warmly: “These young people will continue our struggle. Keep dialoguing—may it open our minds.”

The event left a deep impression on the interfaith communities in Garut connected through the JISRA program. There were no walls separating the church and the mosque—only a shared space where empathy flourished.

From Participants to Changemakers

December 2024 marked another milestone. During Fatayat NU’s Festival of Tolerance, Youth Interfaith Camp alumni no longer stood as participants—they became moderators, speakers, and even Masters of Ceremony. Over 400 people attended the two-day event, signaling the success of a cross-generational approach to peacebuilding.

The highlight was the joint Declaration of Freedom of Religion and Belief (KBB), read together by youth leaders, religious figures, and interfaith activists. The declaration symbolized that the fight for tolerance no longer belongs solely to religious authorities—it now belongs to the youth, who are brave enough to reshape the future of their region.

The Birth of GARDA: The Interfaith Religious and Peaceful Generation

Two years after the first Youth Interfaith Camp, Fatayat NU held YIC 2025, involving nine JISRA Indonesia partner organizations. From there, a new community was born: GARDA (Generasi Religius dan Damai Lintas Agama – Interfaith Religious and Peaceful Generation), a network of interfaith youth in Garut—a living legacy of the program’s sustainability. Its six core members came from diverse backgrounds: Ari (Muhammadiyah), Aryani (Catholic), AAN (Shi’a), Fatin and Asyifa (Ahmadiyya), and Jatnika (Sunda Wiwitan).

GARDA’s first activity began with a simple concept: a potluck discussion where everyone brought food from home. They called it Sapa Rasa (“Greeting the Senses”). From these small gatherings, Sapa Rasa grew into a movement that reached multiple interfaith communities in Garut. Their first major activity was a visit to the Catholic Church of Our Lady Parish in Garut. The church warmly welcomed them. Father Bowo and the Catholic Youth (OMK) helped organize the event, which included observing Mass, interfaith dialogue, storytelling for healing, and learning about the church’s history.

Unexpectedly, 67 young people from diverse faith backgrounds attended. At Father Bowo’s suggestion, representatives from FKUB Garut also joined, including Mr. Welman Butar-Butar from the Christian community. Support poured in from many sides: OMK and the parish as hosts, local small businesses donating merchandise, and books from Fatayat NU West Java and Lajnah Imaillah Garut.

After the church visit, the interfaith spirit continued to grow. In September 2025, GARDA and Garut’s interfaith community organized a live-in program at the Ahmadiyya National Center in Parung, Bogor. For two days, they lived together, interacted, and learned firsthand about the universal human values that form the foundation of the Ahmadiyya faith.

Expending Safe Spaces

These two interfaith visits marked the beginning of GARDA’s journey to strengthen interfaith networks in Garut. Amid growing conservatism and social polarization, the courage of these young people became an oasis. They were no longer just participants—they became guardians of safe spaces born from awareness and friendship.

Fatayat NU Garut Chairwoman Hj. Ai Sadidah called them “the lifeline of our struggle.” For AAN and Amatus, this change represented a journey of reclaiming dignity and courage as human beings. From a small space called the Youth Interfaith Camp, a new generation emerged—one that bridges differences, rejects prejudice, and affirms that peace is not a distant dream, but a choice rooted in an open heart.

Final Reflection

The interfaith youth journey in Garut shows that tolerance is not an instant outcome—it’s a collective process. It grows from encounters, honesty, and the willingness to listen. Fatayat NU West Java has proven that building interfaith dialogue is not only about theology—it’s about the courage to care.

Now, through GARDA, the baton of peace has been passed on. The youth of Garut are writing a new chapter in their region’s history of tolerance—in simple, friendly, and courageous ways. They are no longer waiting for change to come from outside. They are the change.