New Delhi, Dec 02: India on Thursday formally took over the presidency of the G-20, the premier group of the world’s most influential and powerful economies.
India kicked off its G20 Presidency through a Jan Bhagidari event involving the youth through the University Connect Programme, which was held at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, New Delhi.
The event was attended by more than 1500 students from 75 universities across the county. India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar and Dr PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where special guests in the University Connect programme.
G20 Sherpa Mr Amitabh Kant and G20 Chief Coordinator Mr Harsh Vardhan Shringla shared their vision for India G20 Presidency with the students and Vice-Chancellors in attendance. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar underlined the importance and opportunities of the G20 Presidency.
He noted that the G20 Presidency is not a mere diplomatic meeting for India but is, in fact, a crucial responsibility, especially since it comes at a time of chaos and crisis in the international realm. He highlighted that it is an opportunity “to make the world more India ready and India to be more world ready”.
The External Affairs Minister articulated the 8 points that PM Modi mentioned in his article on G20 Presidency, wherein he noted that G20 is not just the collective weight of participants, but the very process of holding it is impactful. He said that it is vital that world leaders focus on the right issues, especially those affecting the world’s vulnerable sections.
He highlighted the relevance of India’s expertise in many domains, such as digital platforms, response to Covid, etc, for the world and expressed the importance of becoming the ‘Voice of the Global South’.
During his address to the students, he spotlighted Mission LiFE, sustainable development, and also the relevance of forging common ground among countries to find solutions to current pressing issues of the globe.
He mentioned that “as the mother of democracy, India’s G20 Presidency will be consultative, collaborative and decisive” and also laid the importance of youth participation in India’s G20 Presidency. The EAM also tweeted a picture of him taking a selfie with some enthusiastic students.
Besides, numerous events were conducted across the country as India assumed the G20 Presidency. G20 branding was extensively visible at the Hornbill Festival in Kisama Village of Nagaland. Honourable Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar inaugurated the hornbill festival 2022.
During India’s G20 Presidency, several state festivals are expected to carry the message of G20 Presidency. Meanwhile, famous sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand sculpture of the magnificent logo of India’s G20 Presidency at Chandrabhagha beach in Odisha.
100 ASI monuments across the country were lit up with the G20 logo, and the public was encouraged to take selfies and upload under # MyG20Indiaselfie. A write-up on India’s G20 Presidency was also circulated in schools for teachers to read out to students.
