CONGRESS OF LEADERS OF WORLD AND TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS

CONGRESS OF LEADERS OF WORLD AND TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS

General information. For the first time the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions was convened on September 23-24, 2003 on the initiative of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy N. Nazarbayev.

Speaking on February 13, 2003 at the International Conference on Peace and Harmony, which played an important role in the rapprochement religion, cultures and civilizations, and was attended by authoritative religious leaders and representatives of Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities, Elbasy addressed representatives of all faiths with the initiative to hold a Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan.

Representatives of the Catholic Church were among the first to support the idea of the Congress during the visit of Elbasy to the Vatican.

The fact that the heads of the USA, Russia, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Poland, Germany, as well as the heads of major international organizations sent their greetings to the Congress testifies to the world global recognition of the success and confidence in new initiative of Kazakhstan.

 

Mission of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions:

  • Search for universal reference points in world and traditional forms of religions.
  • The functioning of the permanent international Institute for the implementation of interreligious dialogue and concerted action.

 

Key priorities of the Congress:

  • 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 escalation of conflicts and hostilities.

 

Objectives of the Congress:

  • Strengthening the traditions of intercivilizational, interreligious and interfaith dialogue and harmony.
  • Creation of a permanent body of the Congress of World and Traditional Leaders for the coordinated, objective and competent preparation of the ideology and concept of future interreligious summits.
  • Cooperation and interaction with all international organizations, centers and structures aimed at promoting dialogue between religions, cultures and civilizations.
  • Expansion of the dialogue between representatives of different cultures and religions with the involvement of representatives of secular and religious media, youth associations, scientific and creative intelligentsia.
  • Promoting global dialogue between civilizations, cultures and religions.
  • Deepening and strengthening mutual understanding and respect between religious communities.
  • Development of a culture of tolerance and mutual respect as a counterbalance to the ideology of hatred and extremism.
  • Prevention of the prevalence of theses about the «Clash of Civilizations», expressed in the opposition of religions and spiritual traditions, further politicization of theological disputes, attempts to discredit one religion on the part of the other.

 

Chronology of the Congress:

I Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Held on 23-24 September 2003 in Astana. The interfaith summit was attended by spiritual hierarchs and honorary guests from 13 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

II Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Held on September 12-13, 2006. The work of the Congress took place in a new, purpose-built building - the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. The interfaith summit was attended by 29 delegations - representatives of world and traditional religions and guests of honor from 20 countries of Europe, America, Asia and Africa.

The key theme of the Congress is «Religion, Society and International Security».

III Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Held on July 1-2, 2009. The Congress was attended by 77 delegations from 35 countries of the world, who represented at the summit all the major religions of the world.

The key theme of the Congress: «The role of religious leaders in building a world based on tolerance, mutual respect and cooperation».

IV Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Held on May 30-31, 2012. The Congress was attended by 85 delegations from 40 countries of the world, representing all world and traditional religions, as well as authoritative religious and international organizations.

The key theme of the Congress: «Peace and harmony as the choice of mankind».

V Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Held on June 10-11, 2015. The Congress was attended by over 80 delegations from 42 countries of the world, representing all world and traditional religions, as well as authoritative religious leaders, politicians and international organizations.

The key theme of the Congress: «Dialogue of religious leaders and political figures for the sake of peace and development».

VI Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Held on October 10-11, 2018. More than 82 delegations from 43 countries of the world, representing all world and traditional religions, as well as authoritative religious and international organizations, took part in the Congress.

The key theme of the Congress is «Religious Leaders for a Safe World».

 

Initiatives of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions:

Initiatives of II Congress:

  • Creation of the International Center for Cultures and Religions under the auspices of the Congress.
  • Leaders of world and traditional religions are invited to give lectures at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation.
  • Adoption of the document «Principles of Interreligious Dialogue».
  • Adoption of the Declaration of the Participants of the Second Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.

 

Initiatives of III Congress:

  • Creation of the Council of Religious Leaders.
  • Development under the auspices of the Secretariat of the Congress of the Concept of the Council of Religious Leaders, whose activities will be aimed at strengthening dialogue and cooperation with other authoritative forums and international organizations.
  • As a result of the interreligious summit, a final document was adopted – «Appeal of the Participants of the Third Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions».

 

Initiatives of IV Congress:

  • Creation of an Internet resource as part of a common electronic portal G-GLOBAL - GREAT WORLD, whose mission is to promote the principles and values of global tolerance and trust in societies and states.
  • Holding the 1st meeting of the Council of Religious Leaders, as well as the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
  • Adoption of the final document «Appeal of the Participants of the Fourth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions».

 

Initiatives of V Congress:

  • Establishment of the Congress awards:
  • Astana International Prize for Contribution to Interfaith Dialogue
  • Medal of Honor of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
  • Creation of the Museum of Peace and Reconciliation.

 

Initiatives of VI Congress:

  • Creation of the «Nursultan Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue» in recognition of the outstanding contribution of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the process of global interaction in the name of peace and harmony.