The G20 Interfaith Forum will convene in Riyadh on Tuesday to address crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, disaster risk reduction, hate speech and racism.
The event will be held virtually in the Saudi capital between October 13 and 17.
Sessions will focus on ways religious leaders can work with governments to combat racism and hate speech; contribute to the advancement of migrants, refugees, women and youth; address the issue of modern slavery and human trafficking; protect shared religious and cultural heritage; and mitigate the consequences of environmental degradation and climate change, read a press statement.
An entire day of the program will be dedicated to discussing the COVID-19 pandemic as religious communities are both uniquely affected by the pandemic: being scapegoated for rising infection rates in many parts of the world, on the one hand, yet also leading in the provision of aid for those affected by the pandemic and the social inequities it has exposed on the other.
More than 500 leaders and representatives from several of the world’s major religions and global policy institutions will participate and address the forum.
In addition to attracting leaders from most major world religions, denominations and interreligious organizations, the G20 Interfaith Forum will include representatives from the United Nations, the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation), the World Muslim League, and the European Commission.
The G20 Interfaith Forum seeks global solutions by collaborating with religious thought leaders and political representatives and calls upon the world’s political leaders to include religious actors in the policymaking process leading up to November’s 2020 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Riyadh as well as to build policy based on shared values of solidarity, coexistence and respect.
Tuesday will witness the opening of the forum and three concurrent panel discussions on the role of religion in peacebuilding and conflict prevention: “Countering Hate Speech and Social Media”, “Religious Cultural Heritage and Human Dignity” and “Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery”.
Wednesday will witness discussions on “Faith Communities in Partnerships to address COVID-19,” “Responses to COVID-19: Priorities and Accountability” and “Supporting Vulnerable Groups in Times of COVID-19.”
Thursday will focus on empowerment of women, youth and vulnerable people. Panel discussions will tackle “Education, Religious Literacy and Cultural Diversity,” “Refugees and Migrants with Focus on Women and Youth” and “Inequality: Gender, Racism and Structural Discrimination”.
Friday will cover climate change with panel discussions on “Rainforest and Protection of Environment,” “Practical Partnerships on Climate Change” and “The Rule of Law, Human Rights and Religious Rights.”
Participants at the event include Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Orthodox Archbishop of Constantinople- New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch; Dr. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group; Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and member of the KAICIID Board of Directors; Dr. Mohammad Al-Issa, Secretary General, Muslim World League; Dr. Yousef bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation; Abdullatif Al-Sheikh, Minister of Religious Affairs in Saudi Arabia; Rev. Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Prime Minister of Norway and Founder and Executive Chair of the Oslo Center; Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, Conference of European Rabbis; Dr. Azza Karam, Secretary General of Religions for Peace; Faisal bin Muaammar, Secretary General of the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID); Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and Aminata Toure, former Prime Minister of Senegal.
The 2020 G20 Interfaith Forum is co-organized by the G20 Interfaith Forum Association, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), and the National Committee for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (NCIRD).
