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XXІIІ Secretariat of the Congress

THE COMPOSITION OF MEMBERS OF THE XXIII SECRETARIAT

OF THE LEADERS OF WORLD AND TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS

(September 16 2025, Astana)

REPRESENTATIVES OF ISLAM (7):

  1. Mahmoud Siddiq Hassan Abdunabi, Vice-President of Postgraduate and Research of Al-Azhar University (Egypt).
  2. Abdurrahman Al-Zaid, the Deputy Secretary-General of the World Islamic League (Saudi Arabia).
  3. His Virtue, Prof. Dr. Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims' Board, Sheikh ul-Islam of Caucasus (Azerbaijan).
  4. Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahed Abdullah Al-Arifi, Advisor to the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia).
  5. Usama Fakhri, Head of the Central Department for Mosques and the Holy Quran of the Ministry of Waqfs of Egypt, Doctor (Egypt).
  6. Ali Akbar Ziaei, Head of the Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue of the Organization for Culture and Islamic Relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Doctor (Iran).
  7. Muhammad Zia Ul-Haq, Director General of the Islamic Research Institute at the International Islamic University of Islamabad, Doctor (Pakistan).

REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRISTIANITY (5):

  1. Nektarios, representative of the Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem in Istanbul (Israel).
  2. Iliya Kashitsyn, Secretary for Interreligious Relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Executive Secretary of the Interreligious Council of Russia, priest (Russia).
  3. Reverend Father Laurent Basanese, Head of the Office of Islamic Affairs of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See (Vatican).
  4. Rostislav Novgorodov, Bishop, Primate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Representative of the Lutheran World Federation (Switzerland).
  5. Jo Bailey Wells, Deputy Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Bishop for Episcopal Ministry of the Anglican Communion (Great Britain).

REPRESENTATIVE OF JUDAISM (2):

  1. Shlomo Kook, Representative of the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi (Israel).
  2. David Antebi Sakka, Representative of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi (Israel).

REPRESENTATIVE OF BUDDHISM (4):

  1. Jing Bo, Vice Chairman of the Buddhist Associationof China, Representative of the Buddhist Association of China (China).
  2. Munjong, Director of the Department of Missionary Research of the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order (Republic of Korea).

REPRESENTATIVE OF HINDUISM (1):

  1. Samir Shantilal Somaiya, President of Somaiya Vidyavihar (India).

 REPRESENTATIVE OF DAOISM (1):

  1. Li Guangfu, Chairman of the China Taoist Association (China).

REPRESENTATIVE OF SHINTOISM (1):

  1. Sachiko Iitsuka, Head of the International and Public Relations Department of the Association of Shinto Shrines “Jinja Honcho” (Japan).

REPRESENTATIVE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (2):

  1. Nihal Saad, Director of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (USA).
  2. Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders (UAE).

REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS OF KАZAKHSTAN (4):

  1. Nauryzbay Haji Taganuly, Chairman of the Muslim Spiritual Board of Kazakhstan, the Grand Mufti.
  2. Gennady, Bishop of Kaskelen, Vicar of the Astana Diocese, Administrator of the Affairs of the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
  3. Tomash Bernard Peta, Archbishop-Metropolitan of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Mary in Astana.
  4. Yeshaya Elazar Cohen, Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan.

REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN (6):

  1. Maulen Ashimbayev, Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
  2. Aida Balayeva, Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
  3. Akan Rakhmetullin, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
  4. Kanat Iskakov, Vice-Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
  5. Gulsana Kozhabay, Chairman of the Board of the International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue.
  6. Bulat Sarsenbayev, Commissioner for the Promotion of the Goals and Objectives of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
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