U.S. Presidency of the G20–An Opportunity to Champion Human Rights

Hearing Notice

On December 1, 2025, the United States assumed the annually-rotating 2026 Presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20), the leading forum for international economic cooperation among the world’s largest economies. The U.S. G20 Presidency will culminate in a major international summit in Miami on December 14-15, 2026. In addition to the intergovernmental work to promote cooperation in financial, energy, technology and regulatory policies, in the past G20 summits have generated a large number of parallel civil society initiatives. These have various degrees of connection to the governmental summit, and some have found the G20 to be an important occasion to advance international cooperation on human rights.

This hearing will explore how the Trump administration can elevate human rights issues in connection with the G20 presidency. Witnesses will weigh the merits of mechanisms for the promotion of the right to freedom of religion or belief, such as the Religion 20 (R20) and the G20 Interfaith Forum. These fora invite senior religious leaders and scholars, interfaith organizations, and civil society actors to address global challenges, including religious extremism, persecution of religious minorities, identity-based violence, poverty, displacement, and threats to human rights posed by AI. In connection with this, the hearing will examine the experience of Indonesia, which organized an R20 in conjunction with its 2022 presidency of the G20. Other issues to be considered are media freedom and freedom of speech, which are under regulatory threat in some G20 countries, and wealth inequality, which implicates both civil and political and economic and social rights. Witnesses will discuss how the G20 can most effectively address these issues and offer recommendations for U.S. policy.

Witnesses 
 

• Mary Ann Glendon, Learned Hand Professor of Law, Harvard Law School (emerita); former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See
• C. Holland Taylor, Special Advisor for International Affairs to the General Chairman, Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board; and Deputy Chairman & CEO, Center for Shared Civilizational Values
• Michael Shellenberger, CBR Chair of Politics, Censorship, and Free Speech at the University of Austin; Founder, Public.News
• Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi, Executive Director, Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers; and Commissioner, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

The hearing will be held in person and is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the interested public, and the media. The hearing will be livestreamed via the Commission website. For any questions, please contact Mark Milosch (for Co-Chair Smith) or Grace Gerardi (for Co-Chair McGovern).

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