Indonesian alumni promote cultural and religious tolerance through film

To mark Human Rights Day, the British embassy in Jakarta and Chevening Alumni Association Indonesia ran a competition called ‘Chevening Diversity: 1 minute film challenge’ to promote promote cultural and religious tolerance. Entrants were asked to produce a one minute film about religious and cultural diversity, which were then uploaded to a dedicated YouTube channel.

So far the videos have been viewed over 35,000 times on YouTube. The eight shortlisted videos have been viewed a further 12,000 times on Instagram. The competition included two categories: one for Chevening Alumni and one for the wider public. It received over 50 entries, all competing for a modest cash prize.

The winning film was Menarilah by Kamis Project, which tells the story of a young woman ostracised by those around her for being an outsider. However, through her dance lessons teaching the local children, people start to see beyond their differences. It was selected by two Chevening Alumni—one a prominent film maker; the other a prominent human rights activist. 

The British Embassy in Jakarta plans to use the videos in future campaigns to demonstrate both the values Chevening candidates embody and the support the UK provides for alumni to have a positive impact once they return to Indonesia. They also hope to hold a discussion on religious tolerance in the lead up to the regional elections in June.