The Chair of the Board of the International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue (ICIID), Gulsana Kozhabay, held an online meeting with the President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Argentina, Imam Marwan Gill, to discuss expanding the geographical reach of cooperation within the framework of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
The participants reviewed the outcomes and key ideas of the VIII Congress, held in Astana in September 2025, highlighting its strategic importance for strengthening global interreligious dialogue. The Argentine representative noted that the Congress took place at a high level of representation despite the complex geopolitical environment.
Imam Marwan Gill emphasized the growing interest among Latin American countries in Kazakhstan’s dialogue platform. Particular attention was given to the initiatives outlined in the Astana Peace Declaration – 2025, which address pressing global challenges, including the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and the climate crisis. The Imam also expressed readiness to support regional initiatives aimed at promoting these and other priority areas.
Gulsana Kozhabay expressed appreciation to Marwan Gill for his active support of interreligious initiatives and discussed prospects for strategic cooperation with the Organization of American States (OAS) and the University for Peace (UPEACE). Imam Gill serves as an adviser to the leadership of these institutions, while the University for Peace remains the only academic institution within the United Nations system dedicated to peace studies.
The parties agreed to organize an online meeting with the leadership of the University in the near future. This area of cooperation was also considered particularly relevant in the context of the annual Expert Round Table of the Congress, which serves as the forum’s academic platform.
Special attention was devoted to the potential expansion of practical cooperation between the Center and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Argentina, including the organization of joint visits and the possible signing of a memorandum of cooperation.
The Chair of the Board of the Center also acknowledged Marwan Gill’s contribution as a peace ambassador to strengthening interreligious dialogue and fostering mutual trust.
During the meeting, the ICIID Chair also presented an overview of the Center’s key activities planned for the current year, including the XXIV Meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress scheduled for October, the Expert Round Table, as well as a series of international conferences and seminars.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their readiness to implement joint initiatives aimed at advancing interreligious dialogue and promoting the principles of the Astana Peace Declaration 2025.
