By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, Sept 7, 2023: The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India has offered its prayers to the global leaders, delegates, and organizers of the G20 (Group of Twenty) Summit taking place in New Delhi.
“As the G20 Summit unfolds in our nation’s capital, on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, I extend my best wishes to all participants,” says a CBCI press statement.
The September 9-10 Summit, “bringing together leaders from the world’s major economies, serves as an opportunity for nations to come together, exchange ideas, and address shared challenges,” says the statement.
CBCI president Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur says, “As our country India hosts the G20 Summit, we are reminded of the ancient Indian wisdom of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ One Earth, One Family, One Future, which underscores the interconnectedness of all living beings. This summit is an opportunity to manifest this universal truth through dialogue, collaboration, and shared responsibility. It is a reminder that, despite our diversity, we are bound together as one human family, sharing common challenges and responsibilities.”
CBCI secretary general Archbishop Felix Machado of Vasai stresses the ethical dimension of the G20 Summit discussions. “The decisions made at the G20 Summit should prioritize the well-being of all people, especially the marginalized and vulnerable. It is our duty to ensure that economic progress is accompanied by social justice and inclusivity.”
The CBCI leaders have expressed the hope that the G20 discussions would lead to concrete actions that address the urgent needs of the time. The bishops urge the G20 leaders to not only discuss economic policies but also prioritize social and environmental sustainability.
The bishops’ conference extends its prayers for fruitful discussions and meaningful outcomes at the G20 Summit. It also emphasizes the importance of fostering unity, cooperation, and shared responsibility in addressing the challenges that transcend national boundaries, says the September 7 statement issued by CBCI public relations officer Father Robinson Rodrigues.
The G20 is an international forum comprising 19 major economies and the European Union. India holds its presidency from December 1, 2022, to November 30 this year.
The G20 was founded on September 26, 1999, after the Asian financial crisis as a forum for the finance ministers and central bank governors to discuss global economic and financial issues.
It was upgraded to the level of heads of government in the wake of the global economic and financial crisis of 2007, and, in 2009, was designated the “premier forum for international economic cooperation.”
The G20 Summit is held annually, under the leadership of a rotating presidency.
The G20 initially focused largely on broad macroeconomic issues, but it has since expanded its agenda to inter-alia include trade, sustainable development, health, agriculture, energy, environment, climate change, and anti-corruption.
The members of G20 are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States, besides the European Union.
The G20 members represent around 85 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product, more than 75 percent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.