MEET, DISCUSS AND PRAY, THE R20 WAY

The R20’s first meet clearly had all the markers of starting a much-needed global discourse.

- PRIYA SAHGAL BALI, INDONESIA

Can religion be used as a solution for global problems? Should religious leaders be part of the discourse when world leaders get together for a G20 meet to seek solutions for the economic fallout from the coronavirus and tensions from the Ukraine-Russia war? Held in Bali on the eve of the G20 summit of world leaders, the Religions 20 R20) forum saw over 160 interfaith leaders speak on the importance of nurturing religion as a source of global solutions. The first of its kind, the R20 conference was organised by the Indonesia-based Nahdlatul Ulama NU) and Saudi Arabia-based Muslim World League MWL). As Holland Taylor, CEO, Centre for Shared Civilizational Values told the media: The R20 was established by Nahdlatul Ulama, the world’s largest Muslim organisation in partnership with the Muslim World League based in the land of) Makkah-Madina to give a voice to religious leaders in order to help ensure that religion functions as a source of genuine and dynamic solutions rather than problems.” Since Indonesia was the host for this year’s G20 summit, the local government gave its full support to the R20 initiative, with President Joko Widodo giving the inauguration address. At the end of the meet, the baton was passed on to Indiaas we are the next hosts for the G20. The optics of the baton passing from a Muslim majority country to a Hindu majority one and later this will go to Brazil, which has a Christian majority as the host country for the 2024 G20 meet) sent its own message of diversity. The Indian delegation consisted of RSS leader Ram Madhav, Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, Swami Mitrananda, author Swapan Dasgupta, Haji Syed Salman Chisty, representatives from the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar foundation and so on. As Ram Madhav pointed out, Global issues like health, economy, climate and technology, besides issues like war, hatred and disharmony have, for a long time, been considered the concern of the political leadership. Th