'Mass engagement prime focus as India takes over G-20 Presidency'
New Delhi: The Indian government in coordination with the G-20 secretariat kicked off holding programmes across the nation with "people's partnership" (Jan Bhagidari) as India takes over the G-20 presidency on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already mentioned that India's agenda during its G-20 presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive. It is adding healing, harmony and hope.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that the government is putting all efforts to make it closer to the public and "trying to make India's presidency as people's G-20."
The G-20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU), which works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development. Further, the G-20 is composed of most of the world's largest economies, including both industrialised and developing nations.
However, experts feel that considering India's objective of establishing the idea of mass engagement at the G-20 summit, it is evident that India is trying to project itself as the leader of cultural diplomacy in the world. It goes without saying that during the past 7-8 years of global instability, India has been instrumental in taking the leading role in establishing not only human bonding but social peace across territories. Though, it came to be fruitful when India aided more than 180 countries with COVID-19 vaccines and tried to support their immediate healthcare requirement. India has also been instrumental in standing by the political crisis of Afghanistan and Sri Lanka by not only preaching peaceful solutions but by creating notions to establish diplomatic equilibrium.
Even India's goal of supporting small nations in infrastructural and scientific growth successfully established the statement of human welfare and establishing peace processes. This is also a well-accepted fact for the global powerhouses since no other country with such a vast spectrum of community, culture, religion and economy has ever been able to emphasise its diplomatic stand to establish a wholesome betterment of the globe.
"Citizen engagement and large-scale participation through various events are planned throughout the year. To mark the first day of the G-20 presidency activities, 100 monuments, including some UNESCO world heritage sites, are being specially illuminated and citizens have been invited to join in the selfie campaign at those illuminated monuments," Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of MEA mentioned.
Further, India began its G-20 presidency journey with the "University Connect" programme by engaging with students from 75 universities across the country to create awareness about the importance of the G-20 presidency and how India can be a role model for the rest of the world through its G-20 presidency of healing, harmony, and hope. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the Principal Secretary to Prime Minister P. K. Mishra were among the distinguished speakers.
"We aim to engage youth in the G-20 activities. We are also involving school students through special G-20 sessions at various schools," Bagchi said while speaking to the media persons. The Indian government is also planning to organise more cultural festivals in respective states or regions like the Hornbill festival took place in Kohima in Nagaland. A special app has also been launched for G-20. Reportedly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that the universal sense of oneness will guide India as it formally took over the presidency of the G-20. India will be holding around 200 events across 50 cities during its tenure - it will be hosting G-20 leaders at the annual summit in September next year.
Though principally, economy, investment, and capitalisation will come up as factors in the G-20 summit, issues like climate change call for a direct intervention of people and ideas that might provide easier solutions to bigger global problems. Understanding the notion that a nation is a quantitative representation of its people, the G-20 summit and the role of people engagement are sure to find pronounced discussions that will create human engagement scopes beyond territorial limitations and will align with the global call of India's cultural diplomacy.
Apart from the G-20 presidency, on the very same day, India also assumed the rotating Presidency of the 15-nation UN Security Council for the month of December, during which it will host signature events on countering terrorism and reformed multilateralism. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj will sit in the President's seat at the horse-shoe table.
