G20 Interfaith Forum 2019 Kyoto - Overview

Background

The G8 Religious Leaders Summit, which began in 2005, that delivers the voice of the religious circle in line with the G8 (political leaders) Summit has made a round. Following the submission of requests from the religious circle to the Millennium Development Goals ending in 2015, the G20 Interfaith Summit / Forum has been held annually in Australia, Turkey, China, Germany, and Argentina in conjunction with the G20 (political leaders) Summit since 2014, based on the fact of a gradual transition of the center of the world economy to the G20 system including emerging countries such as BRICs.

Overview for G20 Interfaith Forum Kyoto 2019

Prior to the G20 Summit, which will be held in Osaka on June 28th and 29th, the Japanese government (officials), the ambassadors of various countries in Tokyo, representatives of international organizations, and researchers and religious leaders who come to visit Japan will hold a meeting for policy recommendations in the name of the G20 Interfaith Forum from June 7th to 9th in Tokyo, followed by the G20 Interfaith Forum held in Kyoto from June 11 to June 12 where the politicians and experts will join the religious leaders both within and outside Japan to make policy recommendations from the religious point of view and will deliver their voices to the G20 Summit in Osaka through the Japanese government.

Participants of the G20 Interfaith Forum in Kyoto will be staying at the Kyoto Century Hotel in front of Kyoto Station, and will hold various meetings including the opening ceremony in the Kyoto Prefectural Parliament House, Campus Plaza Kyoto and Mielparque Kyoto. In addition, in order to appeal to the society and the mass media that religious people from all over the world are working together to solve the problems in the modern society, the public action will be taken in the Imperial Palace, notable Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Kyoto City.

Expected expenses for holding an international conference of approx. 50 foreign participants and approx. 100 Japanese participants for two days (three nights from overseas participants) will be covered by a donation from the Japanese religious community. Participants from abroad will be asked to cover their own airfares from home to Tokyo or Osaka as well as the costs for ground transportation to Kyoto, but the G20 Interfaith Forum Kyoto will bear the accommodation and food expenses during the period of the Forum in Kyoto. The meeting will be conducted in Japanese and English, and simultaneous interpretation will be provided.

In order to smoothly operate the G20 Interface Forum Kyoto, under the G20 Interfaith Forum 2019 Kyoto Committee, which is the implementing body, the necessary organizations such as Organizing Committee, Operating Committee and Secretariat will be established with the cooperation of over hundred Japanese religious leaders.