The Story of Avicenna: Breaking Down Prejudices with 12 Core Peace Values to Become a Peace Activist in Aceh

Aceh, a province at the northern tip of Sumatra Island, is rich in history and culture. Amidst the dynamics of its predominantly Islamic society, inspiring figures tirelessly work to create interfaith harmony. One such figure is Avicenna Al-Maududdy, a lecturer who also serves as the coordinator and activist for PeaceGen Aceh.

Avicenna's Journey in Discovering the 12 Core Peace Values

Avicenna's journey holds an interesting story. Initially, his interest in going to Sabang was merely for "healing" or a vacation. However, he stumbled upon an engaging activity from PeaceGen: PeaceCamp. PeaceCamp was initiated by alumni of the 2017 Training of Trainers (ToT) before the PeaceGen Aceh chapter was formed. This marked the beginning of Avicenna, affectionately known as Avi, learning about PeaceGen's 12 Core Peace Values (NDP).

"At that time, I happened to be going to Sabang for healing. I thought, 'this is a good chance to kill two birds with one stone'," Avicenna recalled.

Avicenna's involvement in the peace movement became more progressive starting in February 2018, especially after he participated in the Training of Facilitator (ToF) organized by the 2017 ToT alumni with Mr. Jessy Kristian Patty and Mr. Dedi Harfianda. Eventually, they proposed the formation of the PeaceGen Aceh chapter, which was officially inaugurated on March 19, 2018.

Since then, PeaceGen Aceh has actively organized various activities, including PeaceCamp and Pesantren Damai, also known as PeaceSantren. Avi highlights the innovation PeaceGen Aceh brought to PeaceSantren. Unlike typical PeaceSantren programs that only involve Muslims, PeaceGen Aceh pioneered PeaceSantren involving non-Muslims, including friends from Christian, Catholic, and Buddhist faiths.

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"Usually, pesantren are only for Muslims to explore holy verses about peace values during the holy month. So, we made a transformation that we could involve our non-Muslim friends so we could socialize with friends from Christian, Catholic, and Buddhist backgrounds," Avi explained.

"At that time, in 2018, when we first organized the pesantren, I happened to be the head coordinator of the committee as an alumnus of the activity," Avicenna clarified.

This activity aimed to dissect peace verses from various holy scriptures, unifying interfaith understanding of peace. Additionally, PeaceGen Aceh was one of five cities involved in the "Board Game for Peace" (BGFP) program in 2018.

PeaceGen Aceh's Hiatus and Resurgence

The COVID-19 pandemic from late 2019 to 2020 impacted PeaceGen Aceh's activities. The pandemic made organizational activities less optimal as they had to be conducted online. There was even a change in coordinator. This situation ultimately caused PeaceGen Aceh to go on hiatus from 2022 to 2024.

However, Avi's spirit to revive PeaceGen Aceh never waned. After completing his master's degree in Yogyakarta, he returned to Aceh in December 2024 to reactivate the PeaceGen Aceh chapter.

"I thought, PeaceGen Aceh has been on hiatus for a long time. It was last active in late 2022, and now it's been two years of hiatus," he said.

He believes that PeaceGen Aceh is an important "vehicle" for spreading peace values, especially considering there are already more than 200 "Agents of Peace" (AoP) in Aceh since 2018. With the support of his mentor, Mr. Jessy, Avi applied for an extension of the Decree (SK) as the PeaceGen Aceh chapter. At the end of February 2025, the SK was officially issued, marking the resumption of PeaceGen Aceh's activities.

Strengthening Management and Future Plans for PeaceGen Aceh

After receiving the SK, Avicenna, along with the PeaceGen Aceh Daily Management Board (BPH), held a Duek Pakat (deliberation) in February 2025. This activity aimed to plan agendas and work divisions as part of strengthening the management. PeaceGen Aceh will focus on an interfaith dialogue theme to be held in Aceh Besar at the end of April 2025.

This dialogue also aims to strengthen the bonds among the management, considering most of them are new to each other and come from different religious and ethnic backgrounds. 

"How do I get to know you, you get to know me, and how we get to know ourselves, then we can be at peace with ourselves, and then we can work together," Avicenna explained about the purpose of the activity.

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Going forward, PeaceGen Aceh plans to organize trainings with a more relaxed concept, such as in coffee shops or cafes. They will discuss one value from the 12 NDP every Sunday night, aiming to complete four values each month. Major events like PeaceCamp and Peaceantren are likely to be held in early 2026 by PeaceGen Aceh.

Personal Change and Impact Felt After the 12 NDP

Avicenna admits that his journey with PeaceGen has brought significant changes in his way of thinking. Eight years ago, he held prejudices against certain ethnic groups, such as the Chinese. However, he now works with a secretary who is Christian and ethnically Chinese. This demonstrates how he has broken down prejudices he gained from the 12 NDP.

He also shared how his views on Javanese people changed after interacting with them, especially while studying in Yogyakarta. 

"After we delved into the 12 NDP values, all those prejudices disappeared," he revealed.

The greatest benefit Avi felt as an AoP is self-acceptance. He believes that by understanding oneself, one can accept others and be at peace with their surroundings.

The Importance of Spreading Peace Values in Aceh

Avicenna is highly motivated to continue spreading peace values, especially in Aceh, where religious issues are very sensitive. He believes that "if you are strong in your own religion, you won't be bothered by other people's religions."

Therefore, he actively approaches the Majelis Permusyawaratan Ulama (MPU) Aceh, an organization similar to MUI in other provinces, as well as the Forum Komunikasi Umat Beragama (FKUB) to ensure PeaceGen's activities are not suspected of mixing religions. Avi and PeaceGen Aceh believe that the 12 NDP aims to introduce and understand each other's beliefs.

For Avi, it's important to keep spreading the 12 NDP because these values are concrete and interconnected, from self-acceptance to forgiveness. He sees many PeaceGen Aceh alumni who are now establishing foundations or similar movements, packaging peace values in their own ways, which shows the success of spreading these values.

Message for Students and Young Peace Agents

While Avi and his friends at PeaceGen Aceh used to have to attend offline training for 3 days and 2 nights, he now feels that many more young people can become AoPs through access to the 12 NDP e-course for high school students. Avicenna believes this can be achieved if PeaceGen, along with its regional chapters, first introduces the 12 NDP to Gen Z and Alpha.

"At PeaceGen Aceh, we have a program to directly visit schools, including SMP and SMA Katolik Budi Darma in Banda Aceh, to convey peace values," Avi said.

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When Avi was asked about the meaning of being an AoP and learning the 12 NDP, he reiterated his principle: "When you are strong in your own beliefs, you will not be swayed by the beliefs of others." Being a peace agent, for Avi, means spreading values not just for oneself, but also for others. His message to other friends is to be brave enough to break down negative "walls of prejudice."

"We are doing good, so why should we be afraid?" he added.

PeaceGen Aceh is very open to collaboration with friends who want to join and make an impact on society. They will continue to coordinate with PeaceGen Central to spread information and expand the reach of activities, both through WhatsApp Channel and Instagram.

The story of Avi and his friends at PeaceGen Aceh is concrete proof that peace can be realized through self-acceptance, interfaith understanding, and the courage to break down prejudices. With a spirit of collaboration and dedication, PeaceGen Aceh continues to move forward, sowing the seeds of peace in the "Veranda of Mecca."