Developing West Java Peace Dialogue: A Study of @BDGLautanDamai Movement

Although being one of the most diverse countries in the world, violent extremism, is not a novel question in Indonesia. For the prior decade, numerous cases of religious-based violations have sprung all over Indonesia. The primary reasons for those increasing number of intolerance are the spread of extremist both inside and outside of Indonesia. Among the violations, West Java appears to remain as the area with the most excessive amount of religion-based violence. One of the vital resistances of the extremism comes from youth grassroots movement. Bandung Lautan Damai (Bandung Ocean of Peace), is one of the youth’s grassroots movement that utilizes interfaith dialogue on combating extremism in West Java area. With extensive means of creative technique on promoting peace and tolerance, the movement has consistently using International Tolerance Day as their efforts to educate people in peace and interfaith dialogue since 2012. This writing is examining how youth who engages Bandung Lautan Damai can contribute to developing religious tolerance in Indonesia. This research argues that despite some challenges and limitations of using interfaith dialogue as a means to develop religious tolerance, youth who engages in Bandung Lautan Damai can deliver a significant contribution to developing religious tolerance in Indonesia.