Dr. Ibrahim Al Naimi participates in the G20 Interfaith Forum 2021, Bologna – Italy

15 Sep Dr. Ibrahim Al Naimi participates in the G20 Interfaith Forum 2021, Bologna – Italy

His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Naimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, participated in the G20 Interfaith Forum 2021, which was held from 12 to 14 September 2021, at the level of heads of state and government in Bologna, Republic of Italy. The main theme of the Forum was “Culture of Peace and Time to Heal: Peace among Cultures, Understanding between Religions”.

Dr. Al-Naimi was invited as speaker in a working paper entitled “Dialogue from the Perspective of Religions”, in which he stated the influential role of religion when facing the crises the world is going through, the most prominent of which was the crisis of the Coronavirus pandemic, which led to a sudden shift in the world’s priorities. He also noted that the instability of religious communities over the past few years was caused by the increasing global spread of hate speech, intolerance, racism, nationalism and religious extremism, which collectively hampered progress towards international cooperation to achieve the sustainable development goals.

In his speech, he also touched on the role of religious leaders, scholars and preachers in reviving religious teachings and values, not only through worship and beliefs, but also through practices, dealings with others and mutual respect. He also stressed the need for young people to participate in activating dialogue, and to involve them, guide them and support them to reach platforms and institutions that can bring about positive change in relations between followers of different religions; this is particularly due to the enormous potential that young people enjoy today, different from the generations that preceded them.

It is worth noting that the G20 summit, in which the leaders of the world’s largest economies meet, is held to discuss the biggest economic issues facing the world; Desire to find ways and means through which religious leaders can advise and assist policy makers in building bridges of understanding between cultures.

Proceeding from the effective and influential role played by religious leaders and institutions, the G20 Interfaith Forum 2021 is also being held to consult on challenges that prevent peaceful coexistence and harmony among followers of multiple religions and cultures. To spread a culture of peace among human beings, and to contribute to providing solutions and discussing challenges to achieve the sustainable development goals of the United Nations.

The Forum hosted high-level representatives of states, civil society organizations and religious leaders. The agenda of this year’s Forum discussed the world’s most pressing humanitarian and religious issues such as the Corona pandemic, poverty, migration, conflict, gender equality, and climate change. The Forum ensures that religious voices must be heard and recognized for its role in global relief efforts.

Among the most important topics that were presented and discussed in the forum: the role of religion in overcoming the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, urgent relief for those affected by this epidemic, especially in poor countries, issues of poverty and inequality, ways to build peace, combating racism, combating corruption, and among the important issues as well: education, religious freedom, immigration and refugees, women’s rights, and the issue of human trafficking.