How to Bridge Cross-Cultural Understanding? Indonesian Language Instruction as an Instrument for Advancing Religious Moderation Diplomacy in Vietnam

Indonesian, recognized as an official language by UNESCO, has emerged as a crucial tool for fostering international cultural exchange and soft diplomacy. This paper investigates Indonesian as a foreign language (a.k.a. BIPA or Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing) programs to promote religious moderation, particularly within Hanoi, Vietnam. The research examines how Indonesian programs facilitate cross-cultural understanding and tolerance by immersing international students in Indonesia’s rich religious and cultural landscape by way of an autoethnographic study conducted at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi. Lessons address Indonesia's religiously pluralistic society, illustrated by the architectural diversity of Indonesian mosques and syncretic traditions like Sekaten and Grebeg Sura, which blend local customs with Islamic values. Such cultural narratives help introduce students to the fundamental principles of religious moderation—respect, tolerance, and coexistence—that underpin Indonesia’s social fabric and contribute to its distinctive identity on the global stage. The findings suggest that Indonesia’s integration of content related to religious moderation not only enhances Indonesia's international image but also equips international students with the ideological tools necessary to appreciate and nurture peace within diverse contexts.