1.Your Excellency, in your view, what makes interfaith and intercultural dialogue particularly crucial in today's complex global landscape?
Dialogue among faiths and cultures is essential for helping us to navigate the complex geopolitical scene for many reasons, but I am going to focus on one: to prevent the late Samuel Huntington, the author of the well-known essay about the inevitability of the clash of civilisations, from being proven right once and again.
Oftentimes in the media or in academia, languages, customs or religions are depicted as divisive and potentially conducive to conflicts, even of a violent nature. There is no denying that we can find instances in the past, and even today, when faith or culture are either at the origin of terrible conflicts or have contributed to intensifying them. But the same can be said about wars or any kind of mayhem caused by the scarcity of natural resources or by disputes over borders. Whatever may be the cause of a dispute, the only peaceful and sustainable way out is by means of negotiations, which are always based on dialogue.
The same goes when it comes to avoiding conflicts before they erupt. We can only do it through dialogue between or among the potential adversaries or, in the worst cases, enemies. And when people talk, when they commit to dialogue, either before, during or after a conflict or dispute, all sides carry with them, sometimes as a baggage, others as a useful tool or instrument, their cultures, including their faiths or lack thereof. For any diplomat, understanding the religious and cultural backgrounds, tenuous as they might be, of the sides sitting at a negotiating table is therefore essential in order to achieve a positive outcome.
- What do you perceive as the primary influence and foremost responsibilities of spiritual leaders in fostering sustainable peace and global well-being?
In my personal opinion, the main responsibility of religious leaders as international or global actors is to remind us of our common humanity, which is a tenet of every universal religion worthy of the name. Despite the many differences that exist among us, the hundreds of languages that we speak, or the diverse ways we have to approach our relationship with the holy or the spiritual, we all share a common origin and a common destiny. As W.B Yeats wrote in a poem appropriately entitled The Coming of Wisdom with Age: though leaves are many, the root is one.
- What distinctive contributions or characteristics, in your opinion, set the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions apart from other international dialogue initiatives?
Every event of this kind shares certain traits with other interreligious and cultural dialogues going on with different participants and in different settings. There is nothing wrong with this, since many of theses initiatives, if not all, pursue a similar, valuable goal. Nevertheless, the Congress that takes place in Astana since 2003 occupies a unique space, first of all, because of its origin as a peaceful response to the September 11 terrorists attacks and their aftermath; secondly, because of its universal reach, encompassing not only world religions, but also traditional ones, which, unfortunately, are forgotten in this kind of meetings all too often, though they are cherished and practised by a meaningful portion of the world`s population; thirdly, because of its durability. Many of these initiatives have a short time span, but the Astana Congress has endured for more than two decades. Last, but not least, because of the place where it takes place. Kazakhstan, and Astana in particular, is at the crossroads of East and West and historically has been a place of both transit and encounters of all kinds. Astana´s syncretic architecture and urban planning are both an embodiment and a beacon of this necessary dialogue among cultures and religions.
- Since its inception in 2003, what would you identify as the most impactful achievements of the Congress, both for Kazakhstan and the wider international community?
As said, before, the world needs spaces for dialogue and peaceful encounters in the midst of so many conflicts and challenges, even if their occurrence does not always hit the global headlines. If we take a look back at the world since 2003, we realize that despite so many crisis grabbing our attention– the financial meltdown; the migratory crisis; the pandemic; wars raging in different parts of the world…- there is an under-reported, less visible trend that goes in a more positive direction. The Astana Congress is an integral part of this trend and its impact can be measured both by a tangible metric – more and more delegations attend it since its inception-, but also by its capacity to address relevant topics that go beyond the dominance of the day-to-day news cycle. For Kazakhstan, organizing the Congress since 2003 is a testimony of its long-lasting convening power and it also contributes to its rising visibility on the global stage not only because of its geopolitical position and its natural resources, but also as a force for good.
- Could you share an example from your diplomatic experience that vividly illustrates the transformative potential of interreligious dialogue?
I have spent a large part of my diplomatic career working at the Spanish representations to different multilateral and supranational organizations: the OSCE, the United Nations and the European Union. In all these years I have been involved in many negotiations where the parties were able to bridge their pre-existing cultural and religious differences by considering culture and religion not as obstacles to be ignored or overcome for achieving the desired result, but as integral elements both in the process and in the outcome of those negotiations. The first requisite for a successful negotiation is not to ignore our differences, but to acknowledge them and keep on working from that point on.
- Drawing upon your experience, what are the most significant complexities diplomats face when dealing with the interplay of religion, politics, and international relations?
I have contributed organizing several conferences where the fight against intolerance addressed at peoples with different faiths have been the main topic. For instance, when Spain chaired the OSCE in 2007 we held two highly successful events of this kind in Cordoba, one of the most symbolic cities in the world when it comes to the possible coexistence – we prefer the Spanish word convivencia, which has a deeper meaning- of peoples with different religious and cultural backgrounds.
In organizing those conferences, the main problem of course was that religious issues were intertwined with the political atmosphere in different countries and with regional conflicts where religion plays and important part of the equation. The challenge is to prepare an agenda that satisfies the different parties involved so that no one can perceive that a faith or culture is given prominence over the others. Sometimes you have to spend entire days and weeks negotiating even over the title of a conference, over a colon and a semicolon, or over its different panels and speakers. At the end, all the effort and hours put into those negotiations are worthy if, as said, everyone with a legitimate stake feels that is treated fairly and given the opportunity to be listened to.
- How significant is the active engagement of young people, through platforms like the Forum of Young Religious Leaders, in shaping a dynamic and relevant future for interreligious dialogue?
Extremely significant. If events of this kind are to endure, as we wish, the youth have to be actively involved. They are the ones who are going to lead these congresses in the no so distant future, and they are also more attuned to the problems that are going to affect not only today´s world but the world when they will take the reins of our societies. It is said that young people are less interested in religious matters, but it is not necessarily the case. There is among many of them a craving, an aspiration for meaningful lives beyond the prevalence of the social media and the ubiquitous screens. And there are also topics that they are better prepared to address, for instance in the interplay between spirituality and technology. They are growing with the rise of Artificial Intelligence, which most probably will be an integral part of their adult lives so both world and traditional religions will have to listen to what they have to say on this and other topics that are no longer either in the realm of science fiction or are the playground of the elderly. Precisely, our Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José María Albares, recently participated in Geneva at the opening of the Alliance of Civilisations Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Future of Humanity in Geneva. Any dialogue among civilisations, religions and cultures and any congress related to this issues have to consider those topics that are essential for the new generations or else they will become irrelevant.
- What are your country's main aspirations and strategic outlook regarding the future path and impact of the Congress?
Spain is a country that is deeply invested in the topic of the Congress since it is aligned with one of our foreign policy initiatives: to foster multilateral platforms for encouraging a meaningful and effective dialogue among cultures, religions and civilisations.
Precisely, last July we commemorated twenty years since Spain and Türkiye launched the Alliance of Civilisations which has since evolved into a dynamic United Nations entity: the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). Our former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, who was at the forefront of this initiative, is currently the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. Over the past two decades, UNAOC has grown into a respected platform for building bridges between societies, promoting dialogue and mutual respect, and preventing identity-driven conflict. It stands today as a vital actor in sustaining peace and advancing inclusive societies. Its founding motto is “Many Cultures. One Humanity.” Today, UNAOC’s Group of Friends includes 161 UN Member States and international organizations – a testament to its growing impact and the trust it has earned. Its values have inspired numerous national and regional strategies to strengthen interfaith and intercultural harmony, nurture social cohesion, and prevent tensions before they escalate.
