Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament - Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Maulen Ashimbayev took part in the work of the international conference on intra-Islamic dialogue, held in the capital of Bahrain - the city of Manama. On the sidelines of the forum, the Chairman of the Senate held bilateral meetings with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Caucasus Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade and a number of other conference participants.
During his visit to Bahrain, the Speaker of the Senate also met with the King of this country, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Maulen Ashimbayev conveyed warm greetings from the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and expressed interest in further strengthening multifaceted cooperation with the Kingdom, as one of the important partners for our country in the Persian Gulf region. Speaking during the plenary session of the international conference, Maulen Ashimbayev emphasized that humanity is currently facing global challenges, including internal disagreements, geopolitical instability, armed conflicts, and the spread of extremism.
In turn, as practice shows, such international tensions are often used to spread radical ideologies, incite xenophobia and hatred. And in this context, according to the Speaker of the Senate, the conference in Bahrain is an important and timely platform for establishing a dialogue between peoples and cultures in the name of peace and unity.
“The conference is taking place at a turning point for the international community. The challenges the world faces today go beyond the Muslim world – they threaten the foundations of the world order. In this context, today’s conference, dedicated to the development of intra-Islamic dialogue, is a timely and significant initiative. Bahrain’s initiatives are in line with the initiatives of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev to promote a culture of peace and dialogue. The 2017 Declaration of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue under the slogan “East and West for Peaceful Coexistence” played a key role in promoting the ideas of peace and tolerance. In addition, the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence continues to actively promote this progressive vision,” Maulen Ashimbayev said in his speech.
The Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions emphasized the relevance of the issues raised during the conference's panel sessions, which, along with religion, cover issues of science, education, the role of women and other conceptual aspects. The Senate Speaker also outlined key approaches actively promoted by Kazakhstan in the international arena and aimed at strengthening peace, harmony and mutual trust.
"The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev consistently promotes the culture of unity, mutual understanding and interfaith dialogue both within the country and on the world stage. In September, Astana will host the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on the theme: "Dialogue of Religions: Synergy for the Future". For more than 20 years, this platform has been uniting the efforts of religious leaders to address the pressing challenges of our time. The Forum of Young Religious Leaders will also be held within the framework of the Congress," the head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions said in his speech.
On this day, Maulen Ashimbayev also met with the Supreme Imam of Al-Azhar University, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb. The parties discussed current issues and prospects for the development of interfaith dialogue. As the Speaker of the Senate noted, Kazakhstan has great respect for Al-Azhar University, which has historically been one of the key educational, scientific, and spiritual centers of the Islamic world. He also expressed gratitude to the Supreme Imam for his contribution to strengthening interfaith dialogue and support for the ideas of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, whose values are becoming increasingly important in today's polarized world.
"Al-Azhar University is one of the most important centers for the advancement of knowledge, ideas of peace and spirituality. Your activities to strengthen interreligious dialogue enjoy well-deserved respect at the international level. You actively support our country's initiative to hold the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. We express our special gratitude to you for this," said Maulen Ashimbayev and presented Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb with an invitation to participate in the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on behalf of the Head of State.
For his part, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar outlined the important role of Kazakhstan in promoting and strengthening global interreligious dialogue and expressed readiness for further joint work in this direction, including cooperation in the field of theological education and scientific research.
During the meeting with the Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Caucasus Muslims Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Maulen Ashimbayev expressed his condolences in connection with the crash of the AZAL plane near Aktau. He also noted that the Spiritual Administration of Caucasus Muslims has been making a significant contribution to achieving the goals of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions for many years.
In addition, members of the Kazakh delegation met with the Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Bahrain Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Khalifa, Chairman of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Awqaf of the UAE Omar Habtoor Al-Dari, Director of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Farhan Ahmad Nizami, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Hissain Brahim Taha.
(Press department of the Senate, 74-72-27. Photo - N. Baybulin)
