Two UAE Students Join Harvard, Yale Peers In Interfaith Fellowship In Jakarta

Two Emirati students have returned from Jakarta with a challenge for young people in the UAE to "step outside their comfort zone and engage with the world, even when it feels uncomfortable.”

Naama Bader Alhebsi and Amna AlBastaki were among the 10 students selected globally from hundreds of applications for the Human Fraternity Fellowship, where they trained alongside peers from Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown in interfaith dialogue techniques that they now plan to bring home.

The fellowship, a joint initiative between the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity and Georgetown University, selected the UAE University sociology student and Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy graduate student from an intensely competitive pool to represent Emirati youth on the global stage.

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"Allow yourself to be exposed to cultures different from the one you are in. Allow yourself to feel vulnerable in such settings, and whether you belong or not, start exploring," Naama told Khaleej Times, reflecting on her week in Indonesia's capital studying at some of the country's most sacred interfaith sites.

For Naama, the experience was beyond what was taught in university. "The whole trip gave me energy and motivation. My favourite visit was to Prof. Quraish Shihab's house, it was intimate, and we all felt at home," she explained, describing the evening with one of Indonesia's most respected Islamic scholars.

It was during Friday prayers at Jakarta's Grand Istiqlal Mosque that Amna witnessed something that deepened her outlook on the global approach to coexistence.

"Fellows and mentors from diverse backgrounds and faiths came together to witness the purification ritual, the sermon, and congregational prayer. There was a sense of unity where differences faded and our common humanity became tangible," Amna told Khaleej Times.

"The UAE does not simply advocate these values; it lives them in practice, upholding dignity for all who reside within its borders and creating sacred spaces such as the Abrahamic House, where different faiths can thrive in peace," she said.

The visiting students spent their week exploring Jakarta's 'Tunnel of Friendship', which connects the Grand Mosque with the Jakarta Cathedral, engaging with Indonesia's Minister of Religious Affairs, and participating in dialogue sessions that trained them to facilitate similar conversations back home.

"Something interesting to me is that even though Amna and I come from the same country and culture, we had completely different experiences. But even in such a diverse group, we always had something in common," Naama reflected.

For Naama, human fraternity is like sibling relationships. "You might not like some of their behaviours or ideas, but you surely love them. You try to find ways to coexist because you live under the same house - our Earth - with the same parents, Adam and Eve," she said.

Both students now plan to implement their dialogue facilitation training in UAE communities, bringing their Jakarta experience to local interfaith initiatives and youth programmes.

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