On February 19, in Cairo (Egypt), as part of the implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation and the First meeting of the Permanent Bilateral Committee, the N.Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Intercivilization Dialogue jointly with the Al-Azhar Academy of Islamic Studies held an international round table: «The role and importance of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in ensuring global security».
The main purpose of the round table is to consider the role of religious leaders in achieving sustainable development of the world and further expanding the partnership of the participants of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in promoting interreligious dialogue, as well as its Declaration and the Concept of Development of the Congress.
The event was attended by members of the Congress Secretariat, and partners of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, representatives of international organizations and experts of religious associations of Kazakhstan, Egypt, Turkey, India, UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Malta, Brazil, Tatarstan.
The round table was attended by Secretary General of Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy Nazir Muhammad Al-Nazir Ayyad, Chairman of the Management Board of the N.Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Intercivilization Dialogue, Commissioner for the promotion of the goals and objectives of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Bulat Sarsenbayev, Member of the Al-Azhar Council of Scholars Muhammad Abdul Rahman Al-Duwayni, President of Al-Azhar University Salama Zhuma Daoud, Archbishop-Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Holy Mary in Astana Tomasz Bernard Peta, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders Mohamed Abdelsalam (UAE), General Bishop and Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center His Grace Bishop Ermia (Egypt), Deputy Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, Naib Mufti Ershat Ongarov, Director General of the Islamic Research, International Islamic University Islamabad Muhammad Zia Ul Haq, Head of the Center for the Study of the History of Islam, Art and Culture at the OIC (IRCICA) Mahmud Erol Kilic, President of Somaiya Vidyavihar University Somaya Samir Shantilal, Advisor on International Affairs to Supreme Imam Ahmet al-Tayeb Nakhla Sabri Al-Saidi, Yousef Al-Siddiqi, Member of the Board of the Doha International Center for Interreligious Dialogue, President of the Kazakhstan-Brazil Friendship Forum, President of the Brazilian Planetary Union Ulysses Riedel de Resende, President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace Ahmed bin Mohammed al- Jarwan, Representative of the Minister of Waqfs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Rector of the Egyptian University of Islamic Culture «Nur-Mubarak» Mohammed al-Shahat al-Jindi, Senior researcher at the Center for Interreligious Dialogue of the Bulgarian Islamic Academy Melnik Sergey Vladislavovich, Professor of Aqida and Philosophy at Al-Azhar University Muhammad Yusri Zhafar, Associate Professor, Department of Russian History and Religion, Nazarbayev University Daniel Scarborough, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan Ilkhomjon Bekmirzaev, Dean of the Faculty of Dagwa Muhammad Abdul Dayem Al-Zhundi, Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Culture, Al-Azhar University Reza Mahmoud Mohammed Al -Said.
Opening the event, Nazir Muhammad Al-Nazir Ayyad, Secretary General of the Al-Azhar Academy of Islamic Studies, stressed the relevance of the theme of the event in the light of conflicts taking place in the world and mentioned the contribution of the Congress to the integration of states and faiths for dialogue and peace-building.
In turn, Chairman of the Board Bulat Sarsenbayev outlined the importance of developing spiritual diplomacy and spoke about Kazakhstan's initiatives in the field of interfaith harmony and promoting global interreligious dialogue, noting the historical significance of the Declaration of the VII Congress and the «Development Concept of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions for 2023-2033»: «The development concept of the Congress will contribute to the development of mutual respect, peace and harmony as unshakable principles of human existence, the promotion of a culture of dialogue and mutual respect between religions, nations and ethnic groups, the resolution of differences and conflicts based on reconciliation and compromise».
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During the round table, B.Sarsenbayev expressed gratitude to the participants of the event for the comprehensive and consistent support of the work of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which, thanks to joint efforts, has become a platform for strengthening mutual understanding and mutual respect between religions.
Continuing the event, the participants of the round table highly appreciated Kazakhstan's efforts to promote interreligious dialogue and support cultural diversity. It was noted that the activities of the Congress should be aimed at strengthening cooperation between religious leaders, politicians and international organizations in order to help solve global problems of the modern world.
It was also emphasized that the Kazakh policy of dialogue, which is led by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has become a guarantor of interethnic and interfaith harmony not only within the country, but also successfully projected the ideas of human humanism, the rapprochement of religions, cultures and civilizations in the name of peace on earth.
In general, following the results of the event, the participants developed appropriate recommendations for further study of issues of interfaith and intercivilization dialogue, as well as cooperation within the framework of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and its institutions.
