The COVID-19 pandemic can be seen as a transformative global event that has highlighted and accentuated critical issues. It is time to draw critical lessons and to prepare better for future crises. The has caused economic and social crises in communities across the world and pandemic emergencies have pushed tens of millions of people into extreme poverty and had countless other deleterious effects. Momentum on major agendas has shifted and new priorities emerge. Faith communities have played crucial roles both during and after the pandemic in addressing public health challenges and providing key resources to help societies keep functioning. Many have contributed to or provided essential safety nets. This panel will explore these interconnected issues, from faith and interfaith perspective. Speakers will highlight the challenges that face communities and the actions that faith-inspired organizations, policymakers, international organizations, and civil society organizations can take to support communities in recovering from the impacts of COVID. Links among the 4 C’s are a central focus.
Moderator
Dr. Katherine Marshall – Vice President, G20 Interfaith Forum Association
Panelists
Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati – Secretary General, Global Interfaith Wash Alliance, India
Rabbi Diane Gerson – Associate Executive VP, New York Board of Rabbis, United States
Safak Pavey – Senior Adviser, UNHCR Rev.
Rev. Fletcher Harper – Executive Director, GreenFaith
This session will focus on aspects of global education agendas most pertinent for religious and interreligious communities. That includes education access and quality and attention to ethics and values education.
Moderator
Michael K. Young – Professor of law and former President, Texas A&M University; Former Chair, United States Commission On International Religious Freedom, United States
Panelists
Maria Lucia Uribe Torres – Ethics In Education, Arigatou International, Switzerland
Dr. Brinder Singh Mahon OBE – CEO, Nishkam School Trust
Raden Alpha Amirrachman – Deputy Chairman of Council for Primary, Secondary, and non-formal education of the central board of Muhammadiyah
Jigyasa Gulati – ACWAY
Shailendra Sharm – Principal Advisor (Hon) to the Minister and the Director of Education, Government of Delhi
Rev. Tengin Gurung – Public Relations Officer, Kamapa International Buddhist Institute
The COVID-pandemic highlighted the fragility of healthcare systems across the world. Everything from available professional medical staff to medical equipment and resources proved to be insufficient, straining healthcare systems as they worked to address dealing the crisis and sustain basic healthcare. The need tobe prepared for future pandemics comes alongside needs to address inequities and inefficiencies within health care systems.
Moderator
Dr. Marianna Richardson – Director of Communication, G20 Interfaith Forum
Panelists
Dr. Katherine Marshall – Vice President, G20 Interfaith Forum
Col. Harjit S. Bhagat – CEO, Medidect India
Swapan Bikash Saha – Project Director –Nutrition, Child in Need Institute (CINI), Senior Nutrition Consultant
The economic and social impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic made unmistakably clear how far how low-income communities are disproportionately affected by global crises. Inequalities, many fuelled by the pandemic, contribute both to worsening poverty and to forced movements of populations. Governments and international actors face growing humanitarian challenges. The COVID-19 crisis spurred both action and reflection on social safety nets of many kinds, including among interreligious institutions and communities. There is, however, a need for further work and dialogue to integrate and look ahead, with pressing needs for more inclusive, humane policies and active efforts. Religious actors should be central to the agenda-setting process.
Moderator
Prof. W. Cole Durham Jr. – President, G20 Interfaith Forum Association
Panelists
Rev Fred Nyabera – Director, Arigatou International -End Child Poverty
Vijayalakshmi Arora – Head of Programme, Catholic Relief Services, India
Abdul Halim Mahfudz – Founding Chairman, Waqf Foundation of Tebuireng Pesantren
Prof. Dr. Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin – Senior Advisor, Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Indonesia
Hesha Perera – Manager –End Child Poverty Knowledge Centre
The broad impact of changing climate and issues for intergenerational climate justice are central to all global agendas, from economic and financial policies to political and cultural relations. Religious actors have central roles, both in formal spaces such as the COP meetings and in national and community policies. Translating this into effective advocacy and mobilization and modeling action link religious and interreligious communities to global and especially G20 agendas. This discussion will take stock of actions to date and look especially to the 2023 COP 28 meetings in Dubai. Both the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative and Faiths4Earth mobilize and integrate religious communities, working side by side towards global climate objectives.
Moderator
Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati – Secretary General, Global Interfaith Wash Alliance, India
Panelists
Dr. Katherine Marshall – Vice President ,G20 Interfaith Forum
Rev. Fletcher Harper – Executive Director, GreenFaith
Maja Groff – Convener of Climate Governance Commission
Rev. Dr. Samuel Richmond Saxena – Dean, Faculty of Interfaith and Religious Studies and Director, Centre for Advanced Religious Studies, North East Christian University, Nagaland
Gopal Patel – Co-Founder & Director, Bhumi Global
Pinaki Dasgupta – Member –Working Group on Pollution, Faith for Earth Initiative, Sr. Consultant, The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
Protecting cultural sites is essential to maintain and preserve a nation’s history and identity. OHCHR argues that the destruction of cultural sites is a human rights violation. Destroyed by war, monuments and buildings are symbols of culture that speak for shared roots. Destroying these symbols also means the oppression of another community. Sites include religious monuments and iconographies that are part of every community. The risks extend to attacks of various kinds on intangible aspects of cultural heritage as well as the more concrete attacks on physical sites. Addressing these issues to ensure that cultural sites are protected during conflict and as part of the solution for preventing or resolving conflict has broad implications for peace.
Moderator
Peter Petkoff – Director of Law, Religion, and International Relations Programme, Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture, Regent’s Park College, United Kingdom
Panelists
Prof. W. Cole Durham, Jr. – President, G20 Interfaith Forum Association, United States
Dr. Pieter Francois – Associate Professor in Cultural Evolution, University of Oxford
Dr. M.C. Rajan – Director at St. Xavier’s Legal Aid Ministry, UNESCO India
Religious communities have deeply embedded traditions for reconciliation and building peaceful communities. Their peacebuilding work needs to be part of global reflections and action on violence, including hate speech and misinformation, and incitement to violence. Conflict resolution happens in myriad ways, including negotiations and bilateral or multilateral agreements that can serve larger purposes and lead to better outcomes.
Moderator
Eugene Yapp – Senior Fellow, Religious Freedom Institute
Panelists
Dr. Mustafa Ali – Secretary General, Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) and Director, Arigatou International-Nairobi, Kenya
Donna Bollinger – UN Representative, United Church of Christ
Audrey Kitagawa – President and Founder, International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation
Prof. Milind Patre – Associate Dean –Faculty of Peace Studies, MIT World Peace University, Pune
This panel will focus on the array of networks and alliances among different religious and secular actors that focus on global agendas. Their scope is wide –peace, water, women’s empowerment, education, health, environmental protection, peacebuilding, and far beyond. How can these networks work towards common objectives in the most effective ways? How can linkages among G20 engagement groups and ministerial initiatives be identified and contribute to new forms of partnership and action?
Moderator
Bani Dugal – Principal Representative of the Bahí’í International Community to the United States
Panelists
Ambassador Mussie Hailu – Director of Global Partnerships, United Religious Initiative (URI) and representative to the African Union (AU)
Dr. Mustafa Ali – Secretary General, Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) and Director, Arigatou International-Nairobi
Matius Ho – Executive Director, Leimena Institute
Michael K. Young – Professor of Law And Former President, Texas A&M University; Former Chair, United States Commission On International Religious Freedom, United States
The G20 process has paid increased attention in recent years to the core humanitarian issues identified by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely curtailed global progress to achieve the SDGs. The G20 countries, representing 80% of the world’s economic output, have a disproportionate potential ability to help enhance global progress toward fuller achievement of the SDGs. Beyond concrete issues discussed throughout the Forum, there is a broader urgent need to join efforts on global and local levels to address the implications of these setbacks and to take into account underlying lessons about causes for shortfalls. Religious actors have played significant roles on many SDG targets but could do far more, both in their own capacities and in helping to leverage greater progress both in partnership with G20 processes and grassroots actors. This session will address the broad challenges and opportunities for enhanced partnerships on the SDGs as well as the effort to prioritize practical measures identified during the Forum. It will look to the 2023 and 2024 G20 agendas with a sharp focus on priority areas for attention and action.
Discussion-launching statements by presenters who have particularly broad experience will launch the session, focused on challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Keynote Speakers
His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel – Elder Metropolitan of Chalcedon
Prof.W. Cole Durham, Jr. – President, G20 Interfaith Forum
Dr. Katherine Marshall – Vice President, G20 Interfaith Forum
Dana Humaid – President, Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities