Participation of IofC Indonesia in the Trustbuilding Program Gathering
Asia Plateau, Panchgani, India | 7–9 January 2025
Introduction
From 7–9 January 2025, Initiatives of Change (IofC) International convened a regional Trustbuilding Program (TBP) Gathering at Asia Plateau, Panchgani, India. This gathering aimed to strengthen collaboration among TBP teams across the Asia-Pacific region, reflect on past progress, and strategize for future initiatives.
IofC Indonesia was honored to be represented by Miftahul Huda, Nenden Vinna, and Riri Lestari. The team actively participated in all sessions, contributing insights, experiences, and strategies from Indonesia’s trustbuilding efforts.
Purpose and Objectives of the Gathering:
- Reconnecting the trustbuilding teams with individuals across the region.
- Sharing best practices, challenges, and emerging insights.
- Deepening commitment to trustbuilding values and intergenerational learning.
- Identifying potential areas for regional collaboration and joint action.
(Team IofC India just arrived at Asia Plateau)
Key Activities and Highlights
1. Story Sharing and Dialogue Circles
Participants engaged in structured sessions where they shared personal and community experiences in trustbuilding, highlighting the role of empathy, resilience, and dialogue in healing divisions.
2. Strategic Planning Workshops
Teams collaborated in group sessions to reflect on their progress and co-develop strategies for expanding trustbuilding impact in 2025 and beyond.
3. Inner Reflection and Quiet Time
Faithful to the IofC tradition, guided quiet times were held each day to facilitate deep personal reflection, clarity of purpose, and spiritual renewal.
4. Regional Collaboration Discussions
The team explores opportunities for cross-country partnerships, with specific interests in youth-led trustbuilding and interfaith dialogue.
Contributions from IofC Indonesia
- The team presented their experiences in addressing religious and cultural polarization through community workshops and youth dialogue initiatives.
- The team emphasizes the transformative role of women and young leaders in fostering mutual understanding.
- IofC Indonesia’s grassroots models received recognition as adaptable frameworks for similar contexts in the region.
Key Takeaways
- Universality of Trust Challenges: While local contexts differ, themes such as mistrust, identity-based conflict, and intergenerational trauma emerged as common concerns.
- Value of Authentic Storytelling: Personal narratives—especially when shared across differences—proved to be powerful tools for healing and building trust.
- Potential for Regional Synergy: The gathering highlighted significant potential for ongoing collaboration, knowledge exchange, and solidarity among TBP teams in Asia.
(Panel Session)
(Nenden and Huda share how Trust Building in Indonesia is creating a positive impact in society)
Conclusion
The Trustbuilding Gathering at Asia Plateau was a meaningful milestone in strengthening the regional network of trustbuilders. The participation of IofC Indonesia contributed to enriching the discourse with locally grounded perspectives. Additionally, it reinforces our commitment to the global movement for trust, reconciliation, and sustainable peace.
Moving forward, IofC Indonesia aims to apply the insights from our friends to scale our impact. We will continue to engage diverse communities in the spirit of inclusive dialogue and transformative trustbuilding.
Testimonies:
Riri :
Last January, I joined a life-changing program in India with Initiatives of Change (IofC). What started as a trip turned into an inner journey—one that shifted how I see the world and my role in it. Surrounded by people from different countries, I saw how universal values like honesty, unselfishness, purity, and love can connect us beyond borders.
Through quiet reflection, deep listening, and shared stories, I experienced what true trust-building feels like. It wasn’t just about learning, it was about transforming. One question stayed with me: How can more young people from my region access this kind of experience? That question became my motivation.
Since returning home, I’ve committed to continuing the work through Trustbuilding Indonesia—helping youth listen deeply to themselves and others. I carry the spirit of that journey with me: peace begins within, and change begins now.
Miftahul Huda :
I am grateful and honored to be part of a global community of Trustbuilding where we reflect and search on what to improve in our work as a national and global team. I am feeling very proud to see that there are so many inspiring initiatives taken by various teams to build bridges among a divided society.
We hear so many stories from people across the globe. From India about the urban and rural schools, the issue between the Police and citizens in Nigeria, between the Muslim and Christian communities in Kenya, to the struggle between the English and French-speaking communities in Cameroon. Also, the new teams of Lebanon and South America respond to the ongoing conflict and broken trust in their communities. Lastly, of course, in Indonesia, we have issues about religious harmony
I felt hopeful that many of the team are able to respond to these issues using the TBP as a platform, even though there are challenging issues internally. I believe we are all committed to peace and social cohesion.
I also learned a lot from the facilitating TBP workshop for our audiences in Asia Plateau together with Talia Smith, a program manager of TBP IofC International. I am looking forward to adopting some of the insights from the many conversations that I had into my context in Indonesia.
(This photo was taken after representatives from different countries shared their cultural performances. A beautiful moment of unity in diversity)