G20 Interfaith Summit Preconference (South Asia)

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Venue: Kerala, India
Date: July 25-27, 2016
Organizers:
 Centre for Interfaith & Cultural Dialogue, Griffith University
 The Institute for Policy, Advocacy, and Governance (IPAG)
 Ma’din Academy, Kerala, India
 Government of Kerala

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Background
Based on the very successful annual G20 Interfaith Summit initiative, a group of universities, faith
groups, academic experts, and government officials will convene a South Asia Region pre-
conference meeting with the aim to highlight the key role that religion plays in contributing to
sustainable development. This Regional Interfaith Summit, held in Trivandrum, Kerala, India, will
bring together experts on religion and the economy, religion and law, and leaders from various
religious and professional backgrounds in South Asia to explore ways that religious actors and
communities can work together to enhance harmony and contribute to achievement of sustainable
development goals.

Objectives
The objective of the G20 Interfaith Summit is to facilitate peace and harmony among people of all
religious, ideological and philosophical traditions while exploring ways to work together to
strengthen economic development. This is important because religions, beliefs and ideologies play a
major role in global events today, including issues from medical ethics to cross-border conflicts to
macroeconomic trends. However, religion can be misunderstood or even overlooked as a factor on
the global stage, and thus, the contributions faith and religion make to social well-being and policies,
which impact national and international communities, often go unrecognized.

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Expected outcomes
 Exploration through informed, scholarly discussion of links between religious practice, social
harmony and sustainable development.
 Promotion of research and dialogue on ways that a vibrant religious sector characterized by
harmony and mutual respect contributes to achievement of sustainable development goals.
 Demystification and opening up of communication channels between different faiths and
ideological traditions.
 Sharing ideas, experiences and “best practices” in building peace and harmony. Exploring
and affirming common values, virtues and principles among diverse faith and philosophic
traditions.
 Production of a consensus statement that includes policy insights and strategies, and lessons
learned.

Themes
• Role of Government and Policy Making in the Development of Interfaith Harmony 
• Interfaith dialogue and coexistence: Role of Institutions 
• Influence of Law in Interfaith Harmony and Sustainable Development
• Media perspective on the development of Interfaith Harmony
• A Common Word among Youth: Project Presentations by ACWAY Representatives 

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 Suggested Sessions Under Each of the Themes:
Two sessions are proposed under each theme, which would provide opportunities to discuss the themes
elaborately.

Theme: Role of Government and Policy Making in the Development of Interfaith

Harmony
Session: Promoting Rationale
Mutual Tolerance
through Inter- Understanding common values and beliefs is essential to promote tolerance
government Cooperation among different nations, irrespective of religious difference. Peace dialogues
and subsequent cooperation among different governments can heighten
tolerance despite ethnic, religious and cultural differences. Such cooperation
can ultimately offer a peaceful, just and inclusive society. The purpose of this
session is to promote partnership based on global solidarity with the
engagement of participating countries, stakeholders and people through inter-
government cooperation in South Asia.
Key topics to be covered in this session:

 Intercultural and interreligious dialogues at state and non-state level for

peace and tolerance promotion
 Role of government for social cohesion to achieve common
developmental goals and opportunities for regional cooperation
 Promoting principles of tolerance: freedom, justice, solidarity,
pluralism, and respect for diversified culture or religion

Session: Empowering Rationale

Communities and
Religious Leaders for Though government plays a critical role in promoting tolerance and inter-
Synergistic Harmony religious harmony, it requires concerted efforts from civil society and religious
leaders for sustained peace and development. Religious institutions and leaders
play a significant role in shaping the mindset of the community and government
can engage such leaders to strengthen understanding and trust among different
segments of the community. The session aims at exploring the opportunities and
challenges of engaging religious institutions and leaders as peacemakers.
Key topics to be covered in this session:
 Religious leaders empowerment in conjunction with social policies and
community preaching
 Community empowerment in light of conflicting social norms

Theme: Interfaith Dialogue and Coexistence: Role of Institutions

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Session: Interfaith Rationale
Engagement at
Educational Institutions: Education is necessary for every society regardless of creed or race. Educational
Promoting Tolerance institutions shape the perception of students to understand different faiths in
and Sustainable their formative years. Interfaith engagement at Educational Institutions could
Development serve as a valuable tool for promoting tolerance and mutual understanding
among the different communities. Sustainable development requires a
thorough understanding of different faiths and empowerment of all the faith
groups in the communities. This session will be emphasizing on the role and
approach of education institutions to promote institutional interfaith
engagement across South Asia.
Key topics to be covered in this session:

 The development of curriculum for understanding different faiths

in text books
 Promoting institutional collaboration on different religious
institution through joint educational programs through finding
common grounds
 A cross cultural understanding of the role of religion in the
education system

Session: Interfaith Rationale

Organizations as Actors
of Peace Building The success of the interfaith initiatives relies on the cohesion of different
organizations working towards achieving a common goal. Peace building
activities of interfaith organizations must have a coordinated approach on issues
ranging from prevention of religious intolerance in the society to organizing
faith-based events to promote harmonious coexistence of different faiths. This
session aims to explore some of the key issues of the role of interfaith
organizations in South Asia for proving inter-religious peace among different
faiths.
Key topics to be covered in this session:

 A cross-cultural understanding of the roles of the interfaith

organizations across the South Asia
 Major challenges and barriers faced by Interfaith Organizations
 Focusing on the institutional changes required for Interfaith
Organizations to reduce extremism and mediate conflicts between
religious communities in the society
Theme: Influence of Law in Interfaith Harmony and Sustainable Development

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Session: Influence of Rationale
Law in Interfaith Equality and social justice are key pillars of social progress and harmony.
Harmony and Failing to ensure social justice can result in deadly violence and crime,
Sustainable communal riots, interfaith conflicts among the different religious groups. The
Development session aims to explore how the law of the land and religious teachings can
complement each other in promoting equality and justice among different
religious communities across South Asia.
Key topics to be covered in this session:

 The perceptions of injustice that lead to discontent, non-cooperation,

conflict, and civil unrest.
 Importance of the social equity and justice for the oppressed minorities.
 The role of law and religious teaching for sustainable development in
South Asia.

Theme: Media Perspective on the Development of  Interfaith Harmony  

Session: Media Rationale:
Perspective on the Since media plays an important role in shaping public opinion, it can be used as
Development of a tool for conflict mediation. Successive persuasive communication can change
Interfaith Harmony the conduct of conflict, and violence. The session aims to explore how both
traditional- print and electronic media can be utilized in creating a harmonious,
respectful and integrated society across the communities.
Key topics to be covered in this session:

 Emerging religious intolerance and role of media

 Media literacy program for spreading religious tolerance
 Review role of media in South Asia

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