Civil20 Inception at Nagpur

20-21 March 2023, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
The Civil20 India 2023 Inception Conference, under India’s G20 Presidency, held from March 20-21 in Nagpur. The three-day conference is an official engagement group of the G20 and aims to provide a platform for civil society organizations from around the world to highlight the aspirations of people to world leaders in the G20.

The conference was inaugurated by the Civil 20 Chair, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma). In her opening address, Amma emphasized the need for empathy, kindness, and cooperation and urged everyone to work collaboratively to solve the problems that threaten our existence, both on a physical and spiritual level. She also called for nurturing the qualities of love, compassion, and unity to create a harmonious world where everyone can thrive and reach their fullest potential.

Amma inaugurating

She stressed the need for all of us coming together. “Let us remember that we are all interconnected and interdependent, and that the well-being of one is the well-being of all. By nurturing the qualities of love, compassion, and unity, we can create a harmonious world where everyone can thrive and reach their fullest potential. Let our mantra be ‘Mingle, not ‘Single,’ and let us work hand in hand to build a better future for all.””

The Chief Guest, Shri Kailash Satyarthi, a Nobel Peace Laureate, praised Amma’s work for society, calling her the “Mother of love, kindness, and compassion.” The Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, also expressed his gratitude to Amma for chairing the event, saying that her work in India and globally makes her entitled to be called Global Mother.

The conference focused on various issues related to sustainable development, climate change, social justice, and human rights. It provides a significant opportunity for civil society organizations to interact with G20 countries and put forward their views and opinions.

The conference saw the participation of eminent personalities like Chairman of RMP, Dr. Vinayak Sahasrabuddhe, President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), and Vice Chairman of RMP, and Smt. Nivedita Bhide, VP, Vivekananda Kendra. Sister Nivedita Bhide thanked Amma for being the chair of the event and highlighted the significance of C20 being driven by spirituality.

A compilation of representations from Civil Society Organisation in Nagpur, called ‘Voice of Nagpur’, which was handed over to Amma by Shri Devendra Fadnavis, the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The compilation included views and opinions from various civil society organizations in Nagpur on issues related to sustainable development, climate change, social justice, and human rights.

In the Valedetory function, seeking Amma’s blessings, Nitin Gadkari, the minister for transport, praised Amma for her contribution to society and highlighted the importance of spirituality in Indian society. He said that India has a value-based education system and a value-based family system, which are the biggest strengths of Indian society. He emphasized that Indian society stands on three important pillars – ethics, economy, and ecology & environment. For ethics, Amma is here. He reminded all that spirituality is the biggest strength of India.

In his concluding remarks of the event, C20 Sherpa and Former Ambassador Vijay Nambiar presented the highlighted Amma’s vision of civil society, where each works to supplement the other in pursuit of overall harmony. He said that as Chair of the C20, Amma exemplifies a vision of civil society where the individual and family, as well as society, markets, and the state understand their respective roles in a new light. According to him, the foundational approach to all relationships should be unity, solidarity, and above all, compassion.

This Orange city has been decked up with decorative lights for the conference, and civil society delegates from G20 countries reached Nagpur for the conference. The delegates were welcomed with Maharashtrian tradition at Nagpur airport.

The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the European Union. The conference provides a significant opportunity for civil society organizations to interact with G20 countries and put forward their views and opinions.

Amma also visited different stalls of textiles, handicrafts, and other items and interacted with the people. She showed a keen interest in understanding how those things were made and the speciality of those products.

A special program was organized at Futala Lake in honour of C20 participants, which included a music fountain, firewroks, cultural programs, and dinner. The program was a great opportunity for participants to interact and understand more about India’s culture and traditions.