ASTANA (By Riaz A Malik) : – Kazakhstan is primed to host the 21st meeting of the Secretariat of Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions today.
The 21st gathering of world leaders will be chaired by Maulen Ashimbayev, chairperson of the Senate, an upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament and head of the Congress Secretariat.
The mega event will bring together representatives of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Shintoism from 24 countries, including Azerbaijan, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Vatican, and others, which clearly reflects the high level of trust in President Tokayev and the people of the country.
Names of the some of the personalities going to attend most important event are as under:-
Nazir Mohammed Mohammed Elnazir Ayad – Secretary- General of Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy, Arab Republic of Egypt, Abdulrahman AbdullahAl-Zaid – Deputy Secretary-General Muslim World League, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Allahshukur Pashazade,Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikh-ul-Islam, Azerbaijan, Neshet Bodur – Adviser on religious Issues of the Turkish Embassy in Kazakhstan, Muhammad Abduluhed Al-Arifi – Advisor of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Conscription and Mentoring, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq – Director General of the Institute for the Islamic Research of the International Islamic University in Islamabad, Muhammad Shahhat Al-Jindi – Representative of the Minister for Waqf Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Rector of the Nur-Mubarak Kazakh-Egyptian University of Islamic Culture,Ali Akbar Ziaee – head of the religious dialogue and culture centre, Irán , Zamir Rakiyev – Mufti of Kyrgyzstan Republic ,Hamidjon Ishmatbekov – the first deputy chairman of the Office of Muslims of Uzbekistan, Deacon Ilya Kashitsyn – Secretary for Interreligious Relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Khaled Akashe – Bureau Chief for Islam, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Vatican,Yuri Novgorodov – Representative of the Lutheran World Federation, Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kazakhstan, Jo Bailey Wells – Representative of the Anglican Church, Bishop of Dorking (The United Kingdom), Joel Adler – Representative of the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi, Rabbi Marc Schneier, President of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (USA), Khunkhur Byambajav – Secretary General of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (Mongolia). Zhu Gyong – Chairman of the Central Council of the Order “Chogie”Reverend (monk), Pu Zheng – Deputy General Secretary of the Chinese Buddhist Association, Montian Tananart – General Secretary of the World Buddhist Community, Li Xinjun – Caretaker of Beijing Baiyunguan Temple, Shinsaku Mizui, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Jinja Honcho Association of Shinto Shrines (Japan), Mr. Samir Somaiya- Chancellor of Somaiya Vidyavihar University, is the Leader of the Hindu Delegation at this Congress, Lyazzat Yangaliyeva, member of the country’s Bahá’í Office of External Affairs, Anna Pavlyuchenko
Institutional and Member States Relations Advisor (UN), Mohamed Abdelsalam – Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders, General Secretary of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity – (UAE) , His Excellency Dr. Khaled bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence (Bahrain), H.E. Mr. Afra Mohammed Al Sabri, the Director General of the Office of the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence (UAE), Nauryzbay kazhy Taganuly – Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, the Supreme Mufti, Gennady – Bishop of Kaskelensky, Vicar of the Diocese of Astanaisky, Tomasz Bernard Peta – Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Mary in Nur-Sultan,Yeshaya Elazar Cohen – Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan among other religious leaders, political figures, representatives of international organizations, and leading world media.
It is worth mentioning that the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has enabled Kazakhstan to become a platform for peaceful inter-civilizational dialogue. The forum offers a chance for religious leaders and politicians to discuss how to resolve international conflicts, address global threats and overcome hatred and intolerance.
Established in 2003, the forum has enhanced interfaith dialogue by bringing together religious leaders. Through the activities of this institute, Kazakhstan is promoting its national values to the global community and showing an example of spiritual unity.
It merits to mention here that 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the convocation of the first Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana. It is an established fact that religious leaders are the guardians of the conscience of humanity who can show the way to mutual trust, goodness and peace.Kazakhstan has set an example for the world by showcasing the importance of interfaith dialogue in creating a more peaceful and harmonious global society.The conduct of the this extraordinary event, will surely enhance the global image of Kazakhstan under the visionary leadership of President Kassym Jomart Tokayev and will yield results in promoting the inter-faith harmony, tolerance, peace and coexistence.
