On November 29 this year, in Amman, Chairman of the Board of N. Nazarbayev Center for Development of Interfaith and Intercivilization Dialogue Bulat Sarsenbayev and Director of the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies Rineh Khattar signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.
The purpose of the memorandum is to promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue, popularize the ideas of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions at the international level.
The sides intend to develop interaction in the implementation of joint scientific projects, expanding the academic mobility of researchers, scientists and employees of the two organizations, exchange analytical materials and publications, as well as conduct thematic seminars, conferences, round tables and other events of mutual interest.
During the meeting, Commissioner for the Promotion of the Goals and Objectives of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Chairman of the Board of N.Nazarbayev Center B. Sarsenbayev handed Director of the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies Rineh Khattar an official invitation on behalf of Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Head of the Secretariat of the Congress M.Ashimbayev to participate in the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
In addition, Chairman of the Board of N. Nazarbayev Center Bulat Sarsenbayev took part in a round table dedicated to the promotion of interreligious dialogue. At the event, reports were made by Director of the Catholic Center for Research and Media Rifaat Bader, Vicar of the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate Bassam Shahatit, Representative of the Roman Orthodox Patriarchate Romanos Samavi, Dean of the Sharia Faculty of Mut University Mahmoud Maite, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute for Interreligious Research Sheikh Al-Muhammad, Islamic preacher Sheikh Mustafa Abu Rumman, Islamic scholar Rabi al-Aydi and other scholars and experts from Jordan.
The participants of the round table noted the importance of strengthening interfaith and intercivilizational dialogue, emphasized the uniqueness of the interreligious dialogue platform – the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held in Kazakhstan. In addition, representatives of the Jordanian side showed interest in the activities of N.Nazarbayev Center and expressed their readiness to cooperate on the development of further interreligious dialogue.
For reference: The Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (RIIFS) was founded in 1994 in Amman, Jordan, under the patronage of HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal. It is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides a platform for interdisciplinary research on intercultural and interreligious issues with the aim of countering tensions and promoting peace at the regional and global levels.
