Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Bali – Asharq Al-Awsat

First-Ever R20 Interfaith Summit to Kick off in Bali

MWL Secretary-General Sheikh Mohammad Al-Issa and General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Sheikh Yahya Cholil Staquf hold a press conference in Bali.

The first official engagement group on religion in the G20, the R20 Summit, will kick off in Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday ahead of the annual summit that brings together the leaders of the world's 20 largest economies.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is scheduled to inaugurate the G20 Religion Summit, which will be hosted this year by the Muslim World League (MWL) in partnership with the Indonesian Ulema Council that boasts 120 million Muslim followers.

MWL Secretary-General Sheikh Mohammad Al-Issa will deliver an opening speech to express religion's vital role in resolving global problems and providing more comprehensive and integrated solutions to the most critical contemporary humanitarian issues.

The General Chairman of the Indonesian Islamic association Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Sheikh Yahya Cholil Staquf, will also give a speech during the inauguration.

The two-day event will include the participation of prominent G20 religious leaders during seven plenary sessions and the opening session. It will bring together more than 400 participants, including 160 inter-religious figures from the world's 20 largest economies.

During the inaugural session, religious leaders will take turns giving speeches and discussing pressing issues, including the inclusion of religious minorities, the refugee situation, and other religiously, intellectually, and culturally controversial issues, along with relevant political matters.

The summit will conclude with the recitation of the closing statement and the handing over of the presidency to India, which will host the second edition of the R20 Summit in parallel with its hosting of the G20 Summit in 2023.

R20 is being held at the initiative and in partnership between the MWL and the Nahdlatul Ulama. Indonesia holds the presidency of the G20 this year, and Bali will host the organization's main annual summit on Nov. 15 and 16.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.