G20: West Papua prepares for 4th Y20 Pre-Summit

W Papua, June 6 (ANTARA) - The West Papua provincial government is preparing for the 4th Youth 20 (Y20) Pre-Summit of Indonesia’s 2022 G20 Presidency, which will take place in Manokwari city, West Papua province, on June 17 and 18. According to the forum’s official website, Y20 is a forum for future young leaders from G20 member countries for discussing, arguing, and exchanging ideas regarding the agenda of the G20 Presidency. Currently, the preparation for the establishment of a regional committee for the pre-summit is almost complete, head of the West Papua Youth and Sports Office, Hans L. Mandacan, said here on Saturday (June 4). "There are 15 countries which (have confirmed that they) will attend the event," he informed. The participants are enthusiastic about the theme of the pre-summit which is “Diversity and Inclusion,” he said. "Especially, since West Papua has the highest religious tolerance index in Indonesia," he noted. Meanwhile, co-chair of Y20 Indonesia 2022, Michael Sianipar, said that Manokwari city is fit for hosting the event considering that West Papua province has a lot of potential, which can be highlighted to promote diversity and inclusion. Unlike the other three issues discussed by the forum—youth employment, digital transformation, and maintaining a sustainable planet—the issue of diversity and inclusion is being raised by Y20 Indonesia for the first time at the forum. "We assess that inequality affects all aspects of life and is very detrimental to vulnerable groups, including the youth," the forum’s co-chair said. Hence, the forum will seek to encourage young people to discuss diversity and inclusion to address social inequality, empower the vulnerable and marginalized, as well as enable sustainable growth, he added. "Reflecting our (national) motto, ‘Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,’ which means ‘Unity in Diversity,’ we will show the world that our diversity does not hinder us from uniting," he remarked. At the forum, 50 selected Papuan youths will discuss and voice their aspirations regarding the diversity and inclusion issue. Through the activity, Papuan youths will get the opportunity to gain a broader global perspective and actively participate in showcasing Indonesia’s attempts regarding inclusive education and youth empowerment in the creative economy sector to the international community. "All youths’ voices matter, hence, the Y20 seeks to reach all youth groups from various regions in Indonesia to participate in the G20," the forum committee said in a statement.