On the 1st July, 2020 a virtual conference “First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev: Epoch, Personality, Legacy” was conducted. It was organized on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev on initiative of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia jointly with the N. Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Inter-Civilization Dialogue, the Center for Media and Arab-Russian Studies in Riyadh. Also in the conference took part representatives of Mazhilis al-Shura of Saudi Arabia (Parliament), Heads of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), diplomats, experts, public persons, major businessmen, journalists.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Saudi Arabia Berik Aryn in his welcoming speech noted that the conference was dedicated to the role of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Leader of Nation and what had been done by him to establish the Kazakh statehood and facilitate friendly partnership with Arab and Muslim countries. He also noted the significant contribution and importance of Nursultan Nazarbayev’s global initiatives on strengthen peace and stability in the world.
Virtual conference participants spoke about the role of Elbasy in building and developing Kazakh-Saudi relations, shared their views on mutual cooperation in political, trade, economic, investment and other spheres at the present stage.
The Chairman of the Kazakh-Saudi Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Committee Abdulaziz Al-Issa said that friendly relations between countries based on mutual trust and respect were established at last quarter century. Nowadays, thanks to the wise and constructive policies of the Heads of States, inter-State cooperation is active developing for the benefit of both countries peoples.
The Secretary General Deputy of the OIC Askar Musinov spoke about Elbasy contribution in building Kazakh-Arab-Muslim relations, highlighted N. Nazarbayev important initiatives to be successfully implemented within the Organization.
The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OIC Ramazan Abdulatipov said about historical stages of modern Kazakhstan establishing and developing. He noted that due to the First President N. Nazarbayev great work Kazakhstan has become a leading state with authority and respect in the world community.
The chairman of the largest holding in Saudi Arabia, Zamil Group, Dr. Abdulrahman Al Zamil, recalled the meetings with the President N. Nazarbayev, during which they discussed issues of trade, economic and investment cooperation in the early of Kazakhstan Independence and Elbasy’s support for Saudi businessmen at the first steps in the Kazakhstani market.
According to the conference participants all global initiatives of Nursultan Nazarbayev had been supported by the international community. Modern Kazakhstan has become an active geopolitical center in establishing a reliable dialogue between Europe and Asia, the West and the East, and ensuring stability and safety.
The Special Adviser to Secretaty General of Muslim World League, Dr. Abdulaziz Sarhan and the Chairman of the Islamic Research Institute of the International Islamic University Islamabad, Dr. Muhammad Zia Ul-Haq told that initiated by Elbasy the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has become a global platform for discussing urgent international questions calling for peace and harmony through inter-religious and interfaith dialogue.
The Chairman of the Board of the N. Nazarbayev Center for Development of Interfaith and Inter-civilization Dialogue Altay Abibullaev pointed out the importance of tangible results of proposed by the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to move from “clash and conflict of civilizations” paradigm to “dialogue of civilizations” based on harmony, tolerance and trust. The Head of the Center thanked the participants for their active support of the initiative to convene the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the development of a unique global interfaith dialogue platform, also drawing attention to the legacy and contribution of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev to strengthening the values and traditions of Islam in the space of Eurasia and Central Asia, as well as mutually beneficial Kazakh-Arab-Muslim cooperation.
At the end of the virtual conference, the participants noted that increasing the country's authority and further strengthening international relations is a worthy task for the new generation that Elbasy entrusted to. All agreed that the momentous legacy of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan requires in-depth study for the sustainable development of the modern world. The participants also wished Nursultan Nazarbayev success, good health, long life, wished Kazakhstan further success and prosperity.
