H.E. Sheikh Dr Al-Issa Delivers Keynote Address at G20 Interfaith Forum
His Excellency Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, was this year’s guest of honour and keynote speaker at the G20 Interfaith Forum in Salt Lake City. The forum, hosted by the state of Utah, was held alongside the G20 Summit in the United States and brought together religious leaders and their representatives.
In his address, Dr Al-Issa spoke about the contribution religions can make to global peace and social cohesion, and warned of the dangers of polarisation in all its forms. He stressed that religious leaders bear a particular responsibility, as polarisation, incitement and violence are often fuelled by distorted religious discourse.
He outlined the MWL’s work to help bridge divides between nations and peoples and address their consequences. Among its most prominent efforts, he highlighted the Building Bridges between East and West initiative, whose conference was held at United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2023 with UN leaders and prominent religious, intellectual and academic figures.
Dr Al-Issa said work is continuing to implement the conference’s outcomes. These aim to support international efforts to promote peace and cooperation between nations and peoples, and to overcome shared challenges on the basis of common human values. Those values underpinned the nations’ collective commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, signed on 26 June 1945, and to the international agreements, treaties and declarations that followed.
He also outlined several humanitarian initiatives the MWL has delivered in partnership with international organisations.
Finally, he pointed to the World Economic Forum in Davos hosting, for the first time in its history, a dialogue session on the role of religions in addressing international issues. He said this reflects growing recognition that religious diplomacy should play an active and effective role.
