Jakarta, Sept. 24 -- Education is critical to building a peaceful, safe and inclusive society, the acting chief of Indonesia's National Commission for UNESCO (KNIU) said on Wednesday.

"Through education, we cultivate tolerance, empathy and respect - the foundations of lasting peace," Ananto Kusuma Seta said in his opening remarks at a regional meeting in Jakarta on peace education in Southeast Asia.

The conference, hosted by UNESCO Jakarta, aims to explore how education can tackle the root causes of conflict, counter hate speech and discrimination, and promote reconciliation across the region.

Ananto emphasized that well-educated youth are the region's most valuable asset and key drivers of a peaceful future.

He urged policymakers to ...