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RI looks to religion to solve global problems as R20 kicks off
Indonesia kicked off on Wednesday the host-initiated Religion of 20 (R20) engagement group as part of its Group of 20 presidency, with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo calling on the world’s religious leaders to foster more collaboration and help religion become a source of inspiration for achieving world peace
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Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf (second left) greets a local religious figure ahead of the R20 forum in Bali. (Antara/Nahdlatul Ulama central board)
Indonesia kicked off on Wednesday the host-initiated Religion of 20 (R20) engagement group as part of its Group of 20 presidency, with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo calling on the world’s religious leaders to foster more collaboration and help religion become a source of inspiration for achieving world peace.
The R20 Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, comes at a time of divisive geopolitical tension stemming from the Russo-Ukrainian war, which has ground multilateral efforts, including this year's G20 meetings and summits, to a halt.
But determined to push through the deadlock, Indonesia opened the R20 Summit in a show of diversity, as it welcomed hundreds of delegates and dozens of religious and sect leaders with a traditional Saman dance performance from Aceh – a culture known for its strong ties with Islam – on the Hindu-majority island of Bali.
Jokowi, in his prerecorded opening address, underpinned the importance of Indonesia’s religious diversity and leaders throughout the country’s 77 years of history.
“Different religious figures played a major part in the struggle for Indonesian independence,” the President said. “The country’s success today, including its COVID-19 pandemic handling, is also thanks to the contribution of religious leaders.”
Jokowi said that more collaboration between religious leaders is “very important” and that the world needs more “concrete steps,” in order to promote global peace and counter existing geopolitical tensions.
R20 chair Yahya Cholil Staquf said on Wednesday that the engagement group would be issuing a joint communiqué by the end of the summit on Thursday following six rounds of plenary discussions, which cover topics including airing out historical grievances, embracing shared values and the recontextualization of problematic teachings.
