BALI: (Indonesia): In an effort to discuss the role of major religions in tackling global concerns in a meaningful way, the G20 summit in Indonesia this year has included an event called R20 (Religion Forum) which will be held from November 2-3, for the ‘first time ever.’
Held in the most populous Muslim-majority nation and founded by the world’s largest Muslim organisation, R20 will mobilise global leaders to help ensure that religion functions as a genuine and dynamic source of solutions, rather than problems, in the 21st century.
The world’s largest Muslim organisation, Indonesia’s 120-million-member Nahdlatul Ulama, founded the G20 Religion forum (R20) in 2022, in conjunction with the Indonesian presidency of the G20.
The R20 has been recognised as an official G20 engagement group, and the R20 Summit in Bali is the main event in this year’s G20 programme. Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, is scheduled to address the opening session of this year’s R20 Summit on November 2.
The R20 provides a global platform through which significant religious leaders of every faith and nation may unite to express their concerns and give voice to shared moral, spiritual, and civilizational values.
The R20 is mobilising religious, political and economic leaders from G20 member states and elsewhere throughout the world to build bridges of dialogue between East and West to encourage mutual understanding, peace and friendship among the world’s diverse peoples and civilizations, to encourage honest and realistic conversation within and between religious communities and in order to ensure that religion functions as a source of solutions, rather than problems.
From 2022 through 2024, Indonesia, India and Brazil will, in succession, hold the rotating presidency of the G20. These nations are home to the world’s largest Muslim, Hindu and Catholic populations. As such, they are ideally positioned to provide a “seat at the G20 table” for the billions of religious believers who reside in the Global South, in nations with no official presence at the G20.
India will assume presidency of the Group of 20 (or G20) for one year from December 1 to November 30, 2023. India is currently part of the G20 Troika (current, previous and incoming G20 presidencies) comprising Indonesia, Italy and India. During India’s imminent presidency, India, Indonesia and Brazil will form the troika. This will be the first time the troika consisted of three developing countries and emerging economies. (ANI)