On November 3-4 of this year, the Chairman of the Board of the N.Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue Bulat Sarsenbayev took part in the Bahrain Dialogue Forum "East and West for Human Coexistence". The forum was organized by the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Bahrain in cooperation with the Council of Muslim Elders and the Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence of King Hamad, which was attended by the Supreme Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Pope Francis, King of Bahrain Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa and other prominent intellectual figures and representatives of religions from around the world.
Speaking at the second session of the forum "Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence", the Chairman of the Board of the Center Bulat Sarsenbayev noted the historical significance of the Declaration of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which covers fundamental issues and can be used as instructions and assistance by international organizations and politicians around the world: "In the Declaration, consisting of 35 points, It contains the main messages-provisions stating that the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions should continue its ongoing activities for the benefit of peace and dialogue between religions, cultures and civilizations. The main message and goals of the Congress and its Declarations are heard today on all continents and in all major languages of the world."
During the forum in Bahrain, Chairman of the Board Bulat Sarsenbayev met with Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence of King Hamad Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Angel Moratinos, Chairman of the Board of Muslims of the Caucasus Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Supreme Mufti, Chairman of the Central Spiritual Board of Muslims of Russia Sheikh-ul-Islam Talgat Safa Tajuddin, Mufti of the Republic of Tajikistan, Chairman of the Council of Ulema Saidmukarram Abdulkodirzoda, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, Cardinal Beshar Boutros Rai, Archbishop of Vienna and Primate of Austria Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders Mohammed Abdel Salam, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Ibrahim Taha (OIC), Director of the Royal Institute for Interreligious Studies (KIMI) (Jordan) Reni Hattar, President of the NGO "Foundation for Ethnic Understanding" Rabbi Mark Schneier, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Duarte Paseku and other participants of the forum, during which the parties discussed prospects for cooperation in the development of interreligious dialogue and expressed their full readiness for further implementation of joint projects.
The Bahrain Dialogue Forum is a continuation of building a dialogue between religious leaders, leading international experts who also participated in the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in September this year in Astana. In their speeches, the participants identified key issues of interfaith and intercultural interaction, which are the leitmotif of the main ideas and messages of the past VII Congress. In addition, foreign partners noted the importance of the last Congress in Astana as a permanent international interfaith institute for promoting dialogue between religions, cultures and civilizations.
