Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan and Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Maulen Ashimbayev met with several representatives of leaders of world and traditional religions who have arrived in Kazakhstan to take part in the XIX meeting of the Secretariat scheduled for October 6 in Nur-Sultan city.
During the meetings, Maulen Ashimbayev underlined the special role of the Kazakhstan inter-religious forum in promoting the ideas of peace and harmony on the global stage.
“Over the past 18 years, the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has become a generally recognized and prestigious platform for dialogue. The Congress has brought together not only religious leaders but also influential world-renowned politicians and prominent representatives of international organizations. It gives to the Congress additional dynamics necessary for successful implementation of its decisions and promotion of the ideas of interreligious dialogue and harmony,” the Head of the Secretariat of the Congress said.
In the talk between Maulen Ashimbayev and Secretary-General of the Academy of Islamic Studies Al-Azhar Nazir Mohammed Mohammed Al-Nazir Ayad, they discussed the increasingly important role of inter-civilizational and inter-religious dialogue under present-day realities. The interlocutors noted that Kazakhstan pays much attention to such an approach in the solution of the arising issues. The Head of the Secretariat of the Congress expressed the willingness to provide support to the Academy of Islamic Studies in enhancing the partnership with the Nursultan Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue.
The Senate Speaker also met with Secretary for Interreligious Relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Priest Dimitriy Safonov. Maulen Ashimbayev extended his gratitude to the guest for the long-term cooperation and meaningful participation in the activities of the Secretariat of the Congress. At the meeting, it was emphasized that the Congress is getting a more and more important role in international life exactly due to the support of world religions.
The Senate Chairman also held a meeting with Monsignor Khaled Akasheh, Bureau Chief for Islam at the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Maulen Ashimbayev highly appreciated the contribution of the Vatican in consolidating peace, friendship, and cooperation between peoples and religions. The parties noted the high importance of the work accomplished in the frames of the previous Congresses and expressed confidence that the forthcoming session of the Secretariat would also become the next step on the way of strengthening the global stature of the Congress.
During the meeting with Secretary-General of the UAE Muslim Council of Elders Sultan Faisal Rumeisi, Maulen Ashimbayev praised the efforts of the UAE, which created conditions for the signing and practical realization of the historic “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”, which was signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019 by Pope Francis together with Al-Azhar Supreme Imam Sheikh Ahmad El-Tayeb. The parties also expressed the hope that the interreligious dialogue at Nur-Sultan will further play a significant role in bringing religious organizations closer together and searching for joint responses to the global challenges of the 21st century.
(Press Office of the Senate, 74-72-27. Photo by E. Ukibayev)
