Factsheet on Kazakhstan’s initiatives to promote interfaith and inter-civilizational harmony

Nursultan Nazarbayev Centre for Development of Interfaith and Inter-civilization Dialogue

The N. Nazarbayev Centre for Development of Interfaith and Inter-civilization Dialogue was established in April 2019 to preserve and ensure inter-religious and inter-civilization dialogue, as well as to promote the ideas of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.

Objectives of the Centre

• Promote peace and harmony between all religions in an atmosphere of mutual respect;
• Ongoing engagement with domestic and foreign religious associations and their spiritual leaders;
• Engagement with international organizations, conclusion of memoranda of cooperation on issues of interreligious and intercultural dialogue;
• Organization of the following events: Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress and the Working Group;
• Organization and participation in the preparation of international, domestic and regional conferences, round-tables, seminars, and other events on religious issues aimed at strengthening interreligious and intercultural dialogue;
• Analysis of religious issues in the world;
• Participation in the implementation of state policy in the field of religion, including on combating religious extremism;
• Promotion of the Kazakh experience of interfaith dialogue at the international level.

 

Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which takes place every three years in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, is a gathering of global religious and political leaders.

It was established at the initiative of the First President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in direct response to the rise in religious tensions and extremism in the world.

The first Congress was held in 2003. It was attended by 17 delegations from 13 countries. The sixth session of the Congress was held in Nur-Sultan in 2018 on the theme of “Religious Leaders for a Safe World”. 82 delegations from 45 countries participated in the event. The Congresses are attended by leaders and prominent representatives of the clergy from Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism and other traditional religions.

KEY PRIORITIES OF THE CONGRESS

 

          ▪search for universal reference points in world and traditional

forms of religions.

▪ the functioning of the permanent international

interdenominational Institute for the implementation of interreligious dialogue and concerted action.

▪ affirmation of peace, harmony and tolerance as unshakeable principles of human existence.

▪ achievement of mutual respect and tolerance between

religions, confessions, nations and ethnicities.

▪ preventing the use of people's religious feelings to escalate.

▪ cooperation and interaction with all international

organizations and structures aimed at promoting dialogue

between religions, cultures and civilizations.

 

 

Major achievements

The Congress has facilitated global dialogue between religions and nations, and played a major role in promoting mutual understanding and respect in societies and countries; 

• Its contribution to promoting dialogue and understanding was recognised in 2004 by a United Nations resolution;
• At the initiative of the Congress, the 62^nd session of the UN General Assembly declared 2010 the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures, followed by the decision of the 36^th session of UNESCO General Conference of the Proclamation of 2013-2022 the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures. 

 

Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

The Secretariat is the working body of the Congress. It ensures the smooth running of activities between the sessions of the Congress. The Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan is the head of the Secretariat.

The members of the Secretariat are representatives of the leaders of world religions participating in the Congress

The Secretariat meets annually to discuss:

• Implementation of decisions of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions;
• Preparation of the sessions of the Congress;
• The global agenda, regulations, draft final documents of the Congress (Declarations, Appeals);
• Coordination of engagement with international organisations on issues of interfaith and inter-civilizational dialogue.