Muscat: The Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, participated in the Eighth G20 Interfaith Forum 2021, held in Bologna, Italy. The Sultanate’s delegation was led by Dr Mohammad bin Said al Mamari, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, who delivered the Sultanate’s speech at the forum’s meetings and sessions, Over 1,000 participants from 70 countries took part in the global meet.
Dr Al Mamari emphasised the interest of the Sultanate’s government, under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, in common human values , peace and dialogue, and coexistence and harmony between societies and nations. In his speech, Dr Al Mamari referred to the Sultanate’s efforts since its Renaissance to promote world peace, striving towards solving problems and conflicts through dialogue and diplomatic methods, and rejecting all forms of extremism, violence, and hatred.
“The Sultanate, by grace and blessing of God, and by its unremitting efforts has attained advanced positions in the field of peace and security. The Sultanate scored zero in global terrorism index as it took concrete and clear steps to achieve the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.”
Oman's 2040 Vision emphasizes humanitarian aspects and religious values through its strategic goals and national priorities which include citizenship, identity, national heritage and culture, the promotion of a society in the areas of mutual understanding, coexistence, and peace, a society that is proud of its identity, citizenship, and culture; and strives to preserve, document, and diffuse its heritage worldwide.
Dr Al Mamari affirmed that His Majesty's directives continue to promote aspects of religious values in a manner that preserves the stability of societies and the peace between religions and cultures.
The Under-Secretary presented a working paper that focused on the Sultanate’s efforts in promoting religious values and calling for global solidarity for a better future for future generations, and what the Sultanate has done locally and globally in spreading common human values through programs and initiatives aimed at promoting a culture of dialogue and peace, and working within a humanitarian framework with global morals that preserve societies and individuals from falling into hate speech and practices of violence, extremism and terrorism.
And on the margins of the forum, Dr Al Mamari also participated in a workshop related to youth and met with several officials from different countries of the world and representatives of religions and cultures, in which topics of common interest were discussed, and experiences were shared, seeking to enhance cooperation and invest in partnerships towards promoting dialogue and peace in the world.
The five-day forum saw prominent religious leaders from all religious denominations and members of religious organizations in the world, as well as government officials, senior officials of United Nations organizations and decision makers discussing issues related to religious values, countering hate speech, the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic, gender justice and economic development. It is scheduled to present recommendations of highest priority to the G20 Heads of State and Government Summit, that will be held in October in Rome.
The G20 Interfaith Forum seeks to find global solutions through collaboration with religious leaders and political representatives, building on the vital roles that faiths and religious institutions play in global affairs in a way that reflects a rich diversity of institutions, ideas, and values. Membership of this forum includes international religious organizations, cultural centres, religious leaders, scholars, development and humanitarian institutions, and actors of business and civil society sectors.
The G20 Interfaith Forum is held each year in the host country of the G20 Summit and provides an annual platform that allows the participation of a network of religious institutions and initiatives on global agendas. These meetings aim to contribute by meaningful insights and recommendations that help shape the G20 Summit, thus global policy agendas.The agenda of the G20 Interfaith Forum 2021 relies on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and additional issues related to social solidarity, equality, and sustainability as one of the forum’s main themes since its convening.
The G20 summit brings together the leaders of the world's leading economies. The G20 members represent about 80 per cent of the global economy, two-thirds of the world's population, and three-quarters of international trade.Throughout the year, representatives from G20 countries meet to discuss financial, social, and economical issues as well as broader humanitarian issues targeted by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The G20 Leaders’ Summit brings together world leaders to discuss international economic cooperation and broader social concerns. Participants in the G20 Summit are heads of states or governments from 19 countries and the European Union. In addition, leaders of other countries and nations as well as representatives of regional and international organizations are invited to participate and contribute to the Summit.
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