One of the pillars of the Global Peace Festival is building a culture of service. Thus GPF is actively promoting a spirit of volunteerism and collaboration in society, particularly amongst the youth of the nation. The GPF AP 2010 in Indonesia culminated in a series of celebratory events consisting of a leadership conference, a public celebration, and a social program. The social program element included a voluntary service in Penjaringan district, North Jakarta, by students from a number of campuses and schools.

Participating in the event were Indonesian GPF Ambassadors Mike Muhede and GPF Ambassador from Malaysia, Dr. Sheikh M. Shukor, who is Southeast Asia’s first astronaut. In total 3000 youths (local and international) participated in the Global Peace Service held in Indonesia on October 16, 2010. This program took place in Jakarta and several other cities and included projects on the greening of the earth as well as poverty Global Peace Service.

On April 28th to May 2nd 2010 the interfaith community service initiative program was co-organised with GPF Indonesia, SFP, Fatayat Nahdatul Ulama, and Sanggar Buana in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia. The objectives were to network and enlist more active youth leaders and volunteers to partner with Global Peace Alliance. Secondly, the intention was to empower more youth leaders to become organizers and facilitators of peace initiatives. Fatayat NU has branches in 30 provinces and are active at the grassroots level. It is hoped they are able to organize or facilitate similar programs. Seventy five registered and twenty percent were from Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, and Japan. They represent the Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Confucius (Khonghucu), Indigenous and Christian faiths. The community projects involved renovation and painting works at a Hindu temple, Islamic school and a Buddhist shrine.

Participants were also brought to Keraton (Sultan’s palace) where they witness a church and a mosque coexisting together in one compound for more that half a decade. The pastors and the Imam briefed on how both managed their challenges and differences harmoniously. The presence of such a model showed to the participants that living as one family under God has already been practiced successfully in some parts of Indonesia.