A Historic Film Screening at the Indonesian Parliament House

 

The film “The Golden Rule: Do Unto Others…” made Indonesian history with its
being the first documentary to ever be screened at the Indonesian Parliament
House in Jakarta on March 12, 2024. The Indonesian Parliament House, also
known as the Parliamentary Complex of Indonesia is an important historic structure
that reflects the construction vision of both President Sukarno and President
Soeharto. Today, Indonesia’s legislative bodies, including the People’s Consultative
Assembly, the Regional Representative Council and the House of Representatives
convene in the Parliament House. It was a distinct honor for the “Golden Rule: Do
Unto Others…” to be screened in this noble venue.

The film ‘Golden Rule’ was produced by HQ Creative in collaboration with Visions
of Peace Initiative and Angel Pictures, directed by Princess Cheryl Halpern, Alex
Dolginko, and Princess Natasha Dematra. The film focuses on the commonality of
every religion when advocating for peaceful coexistence and civil behavior. The
‘Golden Rule,’ also known as the Ethic of Reciprocity, is a universal value
instructing every individual to, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you,” and conversely, “Do not do to others what you would not want done to
yourself.”

We live in a time when so much of the world is engulfed in violence, discrimination,
intolerance, corruption, and abuse. It is important for us to be reminded to embrace
this behavior value that is crucial for decency and tolerance and is a priority in
every religion.

The special screening at the Parliament Building was attended by various religious
clerics and leaders of faith-based organizations, government officials, and several
busloads of high school students. The film screening was followed by an interfaith
roundtable discussion involving Mr. Kakan Sukandin and Mr. K.H. Ucup Saputra as
representatives of the Islamic faith, Mr. Cosmas Maurema representing
Catholicism, Mr. P.H. Happy Munthe representing other denominations of
Christianity, and Mr. Wayan Wira Saputra representing the Hindu faith.
Together, each of the attending faith based organizational representatives
emphasized the importance of the Golden Rule and the necessity of incorporating it
into the educational curriculum for all ages.
After the screening at the Parliament House, the documentary continued what was
described as a “peace and tolerance film tour,” including screenings at the Russian
Cultural Embassy, Cibubur Junction Cinepolis Cinema for media, diplomats, and
students, and at several schools, including SMAN 4 Bogor, Sagamulya High
School, and SMAN 1 Cigombong. Several thousand students attended these
screenings and participated in the Q&A sessions that followed.
The Sudanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Dr. Yassir Mohamed Ali, who attended
the screening at Cinepolis Cinema, commented, “This film is very good and has
many messages to convey. Not just for one religion but for all religions in the world
because the Golden Rule exists in all religions. To achieve world peace, we as
Muslims must apply this Golden Rule to our religion as part of decency for all
humanity. It is very important for the Golden Rule to be taught in schools.” Dr.
Yassir Mohamed Ali concluded his remarks by committing himself to promoting this
goal.
The Visions of Peace Initiative appreciates the special screening privilege and the
support it has received to promote and teach the universal Golden Rule. We look
forward to continuing the “peace and tolerance film tour” throughout Indonesia and
around the world.