Jakarta, FU Online News — Prof. Ismatu Ropi, M.A., Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Ushuluddin at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, spoke at The 43rd Indonesia Update 2026, an international conference themed Islamic Diversity in Indonesia, organized by the ANU Indonesia Project at The Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia, on September 18–19, 2026.

At the conference, which brought together academics and researchers to discuss the dynamics of Indonesian society, Prof. Ismatu Ropi appeared alongside Farid F. Saenong of the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII). They presented research on religious freedom, state-managed pluralism, and the dynamics of religious policy under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto.

Their presentation highlighted the paradox between high levels of public perception of interreligious harmony and the continued occurrence of violations of religious freedom in Indonesia. According to the abstract published in the conference booklet, public satisfaction with interreligious harmony reached 86.7 percent in 2025, while more than 200 violations of religious freedom were recorded during the same period.

The study examined how narratives of religious tolerance and harmony coexist with the strengthening of legal and bureaucratic structures that may affect the fulfillment of civil liberties. The discussion was situated within the context of Pancasila as Indonesia’s constitutional foundation and the country’s model for managing religious diversity.

The presentation also explored two important areas: the expansion of blasphemy-related provisions under the new Criminal Code (KUHP) and their implications for religious minority groups, as well as the direction of religious moderation policies. The study emphasized the importance of examining the relationship between commitments to tolerance expressed in policy discourse and the realities experienced by minority groups in their everyday lives.

Prof. Ismatu Ropi and Farid F. Saenong delivered their presentation during the Embracing Difference session on Friday, September 18, 2026. The session was part of a broader conference program examining various dimensions of Islamic diversity in Indonesia, ranging from religious authority and interreligious relations to institutional frameworks and the role of digital media in shaping public understandings of difference.

The Indonesia Update conference is an annual event organized by the ANU Indonesia Project and has been held since 1983. In its 43rd edition, the conference focused on Islamic diversity in Indonesia, examining the relationships between Islam, social life, state policy, and the challenges of diversity in contemporary society.

Prof. Ismatu Ropi’s participation in this international academic forum reflects the contribution of the Faculty of Ushuluddin at UIN Jakarta to the development of religious studies, state–religion relations, and religious freedom research. His participation also provided opportunities to exchange ideas and research findings with the international academic community on the dynamics of religious life in Indonesia.

Through its participation in international scholarly forums, the Faculty of Ushuluddin at UIN Jakarta continues to promote critical and context-sensitive Islamic studies while strengthening Indonesian academics’ contributions to global discussions on religion, pluralism, and religious freedom.

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(Public Relations Office, Faculty of Ushuluddin — Humas FU)