“Swasti Astu Vishwa”: PM Modi concludes G20 Summit with Prayer for Peace amid Ukraine War

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded the G20 Summit on Sunday with a heartfelt prayer for peace, encapsulated in the slogan “Swasti Astu Vishwa,” which roughly translates to “let there be peace in the world.” During this symbolic moment, he handed over the G20 presidency gavel to Brazil, signifying the end of the Summit.

The slogan, chosen in light of the New Delhi Leaders’ Summit Declaration adopted on Saturday, marks a significant achievement at the G20 Summit, where despite conflicts among negotiators on the Ukraine issue, the leaders came together to adopt the Delhi Declaration with “100% consensus.” The declaration emphasized the need for the current era to be one of peace and not war.

In his closing remarks, Prime Minister Modi declared the conclusion of the G20 Summit, expressing hope that the roadmap of “One Earth, One Family, and One Future” would lead to joy. He also announced India’s continued responsibility for the G20 presidency until November 2023.

To ensure that the progress made during the Summit is reviewed and expedited, PM Modi proposed a virtual session at the end of November. He encouraged all participants to connect during this session.

After the handover of the G20 presidency to Brazil, the Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, emphasized the importance of global equality and addressing issues such as income inequality, access to healthcare and education, food security, gender equality, and racial equality. He also called for new developing countries to become permanent, non-permanent members of the UN Security Council to enhance its political strength.

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In a symbolic ceremony preceding the handover, the Indonesian President Joko Widodo and the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva presented saplings to the current chair, marking the transition between G20 presidencies.

During the G20 Summit’s ‘One Future’ session, PM Modi stressed the need for a “new global structure” that reflects the world’s “new realities.” He highlighted the importance of reforms in global organizations like the United Nations and called for immediate, effective decisions regarding the expansion of the mandates of multilateral development banks.

The G20 Summit witnessed a historic moment on its first day when India achieved a diplomatic victory by securing consensus on the Russia-Ukraine war issue. PM Modi also announced the admission of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20, highlighting the theme of this year’s summit: ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.’