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Advancing Muhammadiyah's global diplomacy agenda
Given Muhammadiyah's substantial contribution to the religious, educational and healthcare development of Indonesia, it has real potential to make a contribution to global welfare.
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Professors and students of Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University (UMY) deliver a speech at the university's campus in Bantul, Yogyakarta, on Feb. 3, 2024. (Antara/Andreas Fitri Atmoko)
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uhammadiyah has been one of the most prominent faith-based organizations in Indonesia for more than a century, with a history marked by an immense contribution to the social development of the country.
Recently, Muhammadiyah extended its focus toward amplifying its role on the international stage.
It is an aspiration that started to be encouraged after the 48th Muhammadiyah Congress in Surakarta, Central Java, in November 2022, reflecting its vision of internationalization in various domains such as academics, culture, peacebuilding, health and humanitarian efforts.
To that end, Muhammadiyah has organized diplomatic training at the Muhamamdiyah University of Jakarta and Muhammadiyah University of Malang, East Java, to better prepare its members.
Given Muhammadiyah's substantial contribution to the religious, educational and healthcare development of Indonesia, it has real potential to make a contribution to global welfare. Its humanitarian work such as in Turkey and Palestine through initiatives like Muhammadiyah Aid, and its women's empowerment programs led by Aisyiyah and Nasyiatul Aisyiyah, underscore its potential to address global challenges.
International branches of Muhammadiyah known as Pimpinan Cabang Istimewa Muhamamdiyah (PCIM) have also shown the ability to expand their influence beyond national borders. These examples illustrate how Muhammadiyah is driven to increase its international engagement by using all available resources and expertise in the common interest of world cooperation to face current global challenges.
The recent training in diplomacy is one strategic step to enhance Muhammadiyah's human resources for international engagement. The program leads to certain activities aimed at building the capacities of Muhammadiyah members in people-to-people and public diplomacy with significant representation, taking an active stance internationally. It also fosters joint reflections on global processes with great analytic value.
