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Abdul Mukti

General Secretary of Muhammadiyyah, Indonesia
 biography
1. Plurality is human destiny. God created mankind in different races, ethnicities, languages, cultures, and religions. Differences do not indicate division, segregation, and supremacy of ones over another. Diversity is treasure. It is a social, cultural, intellectual, spiritual, and moral foundation for the beauty, peace, happiness, and prosperity of the world.
 
2. In reality, however, differences cluld become sources of tension, tension, conflict, or even wars among cultures, religions, and nations.  These happen due to  conflict of interests, superiority syndrome, greedy, extremism, hatred, and power domination. Discrimination,  racism, xenophobia, and other negative behavior toward others remain in nowadays time. 
 
3. It is also a reality that people from different cultural, religious, political, as well as national backgrounds could live together peacefully. Despite clash of cultures as a challenge of multicultural society, there are realities of cultural, political, and -even- religious convergences. People do not only live together in peace but also building new society and culture in very unique ways. 
 
4. There are at least five foundation fot building a culture of living together. First, having positive mind toward different with the belief that differences are human nature as the will of God. Second, accept others with full of respect and sincerity. Third, explore common values for unity, tolerate, and providing accommodation for others  with full of understanding. Fourth, building common ground based on common interests, benefits, ans mutual partnership. Fifth, working together for common and goods by sharing, receiving, and caring society. 
 
5. In building a culture of living together we need an inclusive education. We need to open doors of education for all wherein no discrimination, exclusion, and rejection on the basis of religions, cultures, races, and social classes. It is important to creating schools as a meeting and melting point by intensifying interaction, and cross cultural understanding as well as allowing students to experience living together with others from different backgrounds.