IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 22, Issue 1, Ver. 6 (Jan. 2017) PP 81-86 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0837-2201068186 www.iosrjournals.org 81 | Page Contestation In Development Communication Design of Religion: Efforts for Strengthening Religious Tolerance (Case Study at Yogyakarta Goverment) Dr.Hasan Sazali,MA Lecturer at Da’wah Faculty, State Islamic University (UINSU), Medan, Indonesia Abstract: This study purposes to analyze the roles of Yogyakarta’s government, along with the authorities in strengthening religious tolerance. It is analyzed through structural and cultural approaches. Structural approach is the bureaucrat approach of the various governmental institutions related to the religion development, especially in the aspect of religious tolerance. Also, the model of personal communication design development of religion offered in this study is expected to be a model in developing the communication system of religion. Moreover, the cultural approach is built on the basis of society by analyzing the optimization of the cultural value and local wisdom in the society, as well as seeing how much local wisdom and culture which exist in the society play a role in the process of strengthening religious tolerance. This study used qualitative approach with critical analysis. In addition, in order to complete the data comprehensively on some characteristics, quantification statistical perspective was conducted. The results showed that the government of Yogyakarta was relatively weak in strengthening religious tolerance, as well as the absence of communication design development of religion conducted by the government of Yogyakarta in strengthening religious tolerance in the government system. This role was taken over mostly by religious leaders who are members of the institution initiated by the community. However, it is institutionally supported by the government. Moreover, the initiatives of Yogyakarta’s people are relatively strong in developing religious tolerance. The cultural value and local wisdom become the basis in strengthening are potential in the development process if the government is able to optimize the reinforcement base. On the contrary, the commercialization occurred to the cultural value and local wisdom in the system of people’s lives in Yogyakarta. Keywords: Religion Development Communication Design, Strengthening the Religious Tolerance I. INTRODUCTION Religions manifested in various embodiments, as seen in the systems of thought, also in the form of beliefs and norms. Religions also manifested in the form of worship system which appeared in their houses of worship and religious traditions. They were more visible in the form of association or religious institutions, such as the presence of religious groups and religious institutions as well as social and religious institutions. The authority of religious leadership was a factor that would determine the pattern of unity and religious tolerance. Along with the authority, religious leaders and their religious institutions solved issues which were not covered by the government. According to Taher (1997: 5), "The roles of community leaders and religious leaders in the development including: translating the values, norms of religion in life, and the ideas of development into materials which could be understood by the public, giving opinions, suggestions and propriate criticism of the ideas and ways that were made to achieve successful development, also encouraging and guiding the society and religious communities to participate in developmental efforts. Furthermore, the form of communication strategy development undertaken by the government in improving inter-religious tolerance should also be able to perform a dialogical approach in order to implement the strategy of inter-religious dialogue from communities to optimize all the potentials of the community, thus they would be actively participated and involved in the process of development of religious tolerance.. The problem in this study was how did the government of Yogyakarta do the communication development design of religion in strengthening religious tolerance? It focused on these three issues: 1. How was the religious development communication design in strengthening religious tolerance performed by the regional head of Yogyakarta government? 2. How were the values of the locality adapted to support the strengthening of religious tolerance in building communication development design of religion conducted by the government of Yogyakarta? Based on the research problem above, the aims of this study are: 1. Analyzing the policies of communication development design of religion in strengthening religious