Singkawang City, West Kalimantan, was selected to host the Tolerant Cities Conference (KKT) on November 15-16, 2025, because the city has consistently been recognized as one of the Most Tolerant Cities based on the Tolerant Cities Index (IKT) released by the Setara Institute, making it a model for good practices in Indonesia.
APEKSI plays the following roles:
- Policy Implementation Driver: APEKSI encourages all its members (City Governments) to adopt and implement progressive local policies and legal products to advance tolerance and guarantee freedom of religion/belief, while avoiding discriminatory policies.
- Experience Sharing Facilitator: APEKSI acts as a platform for collaboration and sharing of best practices among its member cities related to efforts to advance tolerance. The conference provides a space for cities to showcase their policy innovations and collaborative programs.
- Strengthening the Commitment of Regional Heads: Through its involvement, APEKSI helps regional leaders (mayors) commit to making tolerance a focus of city development alongside economic growth and other issues.
- Synergy with Civil Society Organizations: APEKSI’s involvement demonstrates the synergy between city governments and civil society organizations such as the Setara Institute and The Asia Foundation in creating a strong tolerance ecosystem in the region.