Delegation of religious community representatives
from Indonesia: Biographies
The Reverend Favor A. Bancin
The Reverend Favor Bancin is the Executive Secretary for Inter-Faith Relations at the Communion of
Churches in Indonesia (known as PGI), the main Protestant umbrella organisation. He is also an
active member of the Inter-Faith Co-operation Forum (ICF) and the Religious Harmony Forum, and is
pastor of the Protestant Pakpak Dairi Christian Church. He was born in Sukarame, North Sumatra, in
1981, has a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Seoklah Tingi Teologi (STT) in Jakarta and a
Master’s in Theology from the Institute Peranian Bogor (IPB). He is a regular contributor to various
media outlets, and spoke at the EU’s Human Rights Day in Brussels in 2013.
Muliathy Briany
Ms Muliathy Briany is a Christian teacher, but previously worked for Scripture Union Indonesia, and
for the Indonesia Women’s Coalition. She serves as a volunteer at the Protestant Pakpak Dairi
Christian Church. In 2010 she was a participant at an inter-faith workshop on “Deepening
Democracy, Resisting Fundamentalism,” at the National University of Singapore. In 2011, she
volunteered in the humanitarian relief effort following the earthquake in Manokwari, West Papua.
She was born in Tamiang Layang in Central Kalimantan in 1985, and has a Bachelor’s degree in
Theology from the Banjarmasin Theological Seminary in South Kalimantan, and a Master’s in
Management from the Management Faculty of the Krida Wacana Christian University (UKRIDA) in
Jakarta.
Father Antonius Benny Susetyo
Father Benny Susetyo is the Executive Secretary of the Inter-Faith Relations Commission of the
Catholic Bishops Conference of Indonesia. He is also an active member of the Setara Institute, the
Religious Harmony Forum and several other civil society organisations, and supervisor of the Catholic
youth organisation in Malang, East Java. Fr Benny was born in Malang in 1968, and has a Bachelor’s
degree in Theology from the Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat dan Teologi (STFT) in Widya Sasana Malang.
Mahmud Mubarik Ahmad
Mahmud Mubarik Ahmad is the Secretary of Isyaat, a publication produced by the Ahmadiyya
Muslim community in Indonesia, advisor to the “Jakatarub” inter-faith dialogue group in Bandung,
West Java, and an activist for the Inter-Faith Forum of the Sancang Declaration (FLADS). He is a
trainer and business consultant, and was born in Bandung in 1959, and graduated in Social and
Political Science from Padjadjaran University, Bandung and a Master’s in Management from
Management Education ‘Labora’ in Jakarta.
Ahmad Hidayat
Ahmad Hidayat is the General Secretary of the Central Council of Ahlulbait Indonesia, representing
the Shi’a Muslim community. He is a lecturer at several universities in Indonesia, and has previously
served as Director of the Indonesia Research Labour Foundation, Chairman of the Enrekang Program
for community empowerment, Secretary of the Central Board of Serikat Pekerja Seluruh Indonesia
(SPSI) and a member of the board of a Non-Governmental Organisation in South Sulawesi. He has a
Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Hassunudin University, and was born in Luwu on 14
December 1965.
Dr Ahmad Suaedy
Ahmad Suaedy is the Executive Director of the Abdurrahman Wahid Centre for Inter-Faith Dialogue,
at the University of Indonesia. He previously served as Executive Director of The Wahid Institute. He
is a member of the Policy Council at Fahmina Institute, a researcher at Interfide, and co-ordinator of
the Islam, Democracy and Human Rights programme at Pusat Pengembangan Peantren dan
Masyrakat (P3M). From 2001-2003 he served as Program Officer for Islam and Civil Society at the
Asia Foundation. He has written widely on issues relating to Islam, human rights, democracy and
freedom of religion or belief. He was born in Kebumen, Central Java, in 1963.