Indonesia’s "Nahdlatul Ulama" chooses the Secretary General of the Muslim World League as a co-chair of the "first religious summit" to be adopted within the work of (G20)

The official website of (G20) has announced the adoption of the launch of the Interfaith summit (R20) for the first time as a major event preceding the annual presidential summit.

Indonesia’s "Nahdlatul Ulama" chooses the Secretary General of the Muslim World League as a co-chair of the "first religious summit" to be adopted within the work of (G20)

The announcement of choosing MWL to participate in the establishment and hosting of the G20 Interfaith Summit for (R20)

The MWL is headquartered in the holy city Makkah, Qibla of Muslims, and it is the umbrella that unites all Islamic sects and denominations

The (R20) Interfaith Summit will witness the launch of a forum specialized in building bridges between East and West

Makkah - MWL

"Nahdlatul Ulama”, the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia with more than 120 million Muslim followers, has chosen Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, the head of the Association of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa; to co-chair the first religious summit within the activities of (G20) that ,in turn, announced this year, through its official website, the adoption of the launch of the (R20 Interfaith Summit) for the first time as a major official event that precedes the annual presidential summit of (G20) leaders.

It was also announced that the Muslim World League has been chosen to co-found and host the (R20 Interfaith Summit), which was adopted for the first time as a participatory working group whose religious summit will be held before the G20 presidential summit on November 2 and 3 in Bali, Indonesia, with the participation of active scholars and pioneers in religious and intellectual dialogue. Dr. Al-Issa leads the Muslim World League headquartered in Makkah as the MWL is considered an umbrella organization that unites all sects and Islamic schools of thought.

His Excellency will co-chair the Interfaith Summit that includes religious leaders and scholars from (G20) member states and others along with Sheikh Yahya Khalil Thaqouf, Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama’s Central Council. Dr. Al-Issa will also deliver the opening speech of the religious summit, following a speech delivered by Indonesian President, Mr. Joko Widodo, at the G20 summit in Bali.

According to the statement of the summit presidency, the activities of the (R20) will witness the launch of the Forum of Building Bridges between the East and West "for a more understanding and peaceful world... and more co-existing and harmonious communities". The forum focuses on reviewing various relevant religious, intellectual, cultural and political controversies along with raising various issues of integration and refugees, in the presence of senior specialists in this regard, whether in the religious, intellectual, cultural, societal or political fields, especially political parties and relevant parliamentary committees.

Through this "qualitative and influential" attendance, all issues related to building bridges between the East and West will be discussed, especially reviewing their challenges and opportunities, in particular their cultural commonalities along with the initiatives and experiences presented and discussed in this regard by a number of international figures specialized in surveys and studies.

(R20) Interfaith Summit, in the context of the idea of this forum is expected to issue decisions on establishing scientific chairs in the East and West universities together with creating governance for them to ensure their positive communication with each other within the framework of the idea of the forum. In addition, those important events and activities will be participated by a number of figures, academic institutions, research and foresight centers along with a number of orientalists. Some relevant senior academicians from Harvard University, including colleagues of late professor Dr. Samuel Huntington, will also participate. Dr. Samuel Huntington created the thesis of the clash of civilizations in his famous book in this regard, a thesis that sparked a wide intellectual controversy.

His Excellency Secretary-General of the Muslim World League and President of the Association of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, affirmed his full support for the mission of the (R20) Inter-faith Summit. He added: “The Muslim World League is working tirelessly to build bridges of dialogue and cooperation among followers of religions and cultures with the aim of raising religious and intellectual awareness in the Islamic interior and the thought awareness worldwide; strengthening the values of moderation in the face of all forms of extremism and violence.”

Dr. Muhammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa continues to say in his speech: “In this context comes the fraternal and fruitful cooperation with Nahdlatul Ulama followed by approximately 120 million Muslims. It also espouses the ideals that the MWL supports as the cooperation with Nahdlatul Ulama, with its great weight and influence, will enhance our mission and vision." His Excellency added, "This cooperation with Nahdlatul Ulama to co-chair the G20 Interfaith Summit will represent an effective platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation.”

Head of Nahdlatul Ulama, Kiai Haj Yahya Khalil Thaqouf, said: "Through this cooperation with the Muslim World League, we hope to facilitate the emergence of a global movement calling for making consensus of geopolitical and economic power structures side by side with the highest moral and spiritual values, for the sake of all humanity.” The partnership between the Muslim World League and Nahdlatul Ulama is scheduled to continue beyond the next G20 summit for a period of up to three years. Both organizations will work to define common values that may serve as a key basis for co-existence and harmony among diverse communities. A high-level representative of the Muslim World League will also join the Council of Advisors of the Center for Shared Civilization Values in Indonesia which was founded by the leaders of Nahdlatul Ulama and represents the permanent secretariat of the Interfaith Summit.