Airing: October 8, 2025,

Arfi Pandu DinataEditor: Rahmi Nurfajriani

Artists perform a dance during a peaceful demonstration at Gedung Sate on Jalan Diponegoro, Bandung City, Friday (September 5, 2025). The peaceful demonstration, attended by artists from West Java, showcased a variety of Sundanese arts and culture and served as an effort to foster the existence of indigenous communities while simultaneously voicing criticism of the government’s situation in a civilized manner.* /Pikinda Rakyat Contributor/Kholid

The author is engaged in religious studies with a focus on Sundanese folk religion and contextual theology, and is active in interfaith dialogue.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Bandung, a group of young people are moving with enthusiasm. They call themselves Bandung Lautan Damai, or BALAD, which means “friend” in Sundanese.

Born in 2012, this movement draws inspiration from the history of Bandung Lautan Api (Bandung Sea of ​​Fire) in 1946. From the flames of resistance, the intention was born to flood Bandung with narratives and practices of peace. The name is more than just a symbol. It serves as a call for everyone to befriend, engage in dialogue, and build a safe space for diversity.

Clara Ignatia Tobing and her colleagues noted in “Developing West Java Peace Dialogue: A Study of the @BDGLautanDamai Movement” (ICSGS, 2019) that BALAD implemented creative and interactive strategies. They participated on Dago Car Free Day. At various events, residents were treated to musical performances using recycled materials, photo exhibitions, journalism workshops, and legal advocacy clinics.

On social media, hashtags like #BecauseWeAreDifferent and #AdemkanTimeline spread messages of tolerance in a lighthearted and engaging way. Other creative products, such as the books Dialogue 100, Melangkahi Luka (Steps Away from the Wounds), and the “Heroes of Tolerance” playing cards, bridge local stories and universal values.

Furthermore, BALAD emphasizes direct interaction through the Anjangsana program, a group of visits between students from various religions to play, share stories, and get to know one another. All of these activities internalize the Sundanese values ​​of Silih Asah, Silih Asih, Silih Asuh—learning together (asah), fostering empathy (asih), and a willingness to guide (asuh). The dialogue here is not rigid, but rather fluid, intimate, and full of warmth.

Visiting the Past

Religious dialogue is deeply rooted in the Sundanese people. This tradition can be seen in real-life history, such as the debate between the Islamic Union (PERSIS) and the Ahmadiyah of Qadian in 1933. Sharp differences of opinion were resolved through words, not violence, confirming that dialogue that respects each other’s identities can thrive despite persistent differences.

PERSIS was born in Bandung in 1923, growing up in a Sundanese community known since the early 20th century as a center of modern Islamic education and a platform for religious reform discourse. Meanwhile, the Ahmadiyah of Qadian emerged through Maulana Rahmat Ali’s missionary journey from Sumatra and Batavia, then Bogor, and finally Bandung, establishing a community and opening a modern learning space.

When tensions between PERSIS leader Ahmad Hassan and Ahmadiyah preachers reached a peak, a public debate was held on April 14-16, 1933, at the Societeit Ons Genoegen Building on Naripanweg. Irsyad Mohammad and Didik Pradjoko, in “The Dialogue between Qadian Ahmadiyya and Persatuan Islam in 1933” (Advances in Social Science, Education, and Humanities Research, 2019), recorded the heated but orderly debate. Abubakar Ayyub and Maulana Rahmat Ali asserted that Jesus had died, while Ahmad Hassan insisted that Jesus was still alive and would return at the end of time.

source https://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/kolom/amp/pr-019700938/dialog-lintas-iman-dan-budaya-sunda