Astana, June 26, 2026
The International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue held an international online conference entitled «The Culture of Good Neighborliness in the 21st Century in the Countries of Central Asia».
The conference brought together representatives of government institutions, religious organizations, academic circles, and the expert community from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Russia.
The conference was opened by Marat Kalizhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of the International Center. In his welcoming remarks, he emphasized that good neighborliness is not only a historical legacy of the peoples of Central Asia but also a key foundation for the region's sustainable development. According to him, today's challenges including climate change, the rapid development of artificial intelligence, and the need to strengthen trust among nations require the combined political, intellectual, and spiritual efforts of all stakeholders.
Throughout the conference, the concept of good neighborliness was examined from multiple perspectives, including politics, history, culture, religion, moral values, environmental protection, and modern technologies.
The participants noted that the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has long evolved beyond a platform for dialogue. The work carried out within the framework of the Congress is reflected in joint documents and recommendations that contribute to developing common approaches to the key challenges of our time, including climate change, the development of artificial intelligence, and the strengthening of humanitarian cooperation.
Daniyar Kenzhalin, Head of the Department for Religious Rehabilitation of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, and Ali Ukenov, Project Manager of the Muslim Council of Elders – Central Asia, focused their presentations on environmental responsibility. They noted that climate change, declining water resources, and land degradation have become shared challenges for all countries in the region. According to the speakers, Islam calls upon humanity to treat the environment with care and regards the protection of nature as a moral responsibility before the Almighty and future generations. They emphasized that religious organizations can make a significant contribution to promoting environmental awareness and fostering responsible stewardship of natural resources.
Representing the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan, Ibrokhim Inomov devoted his presentation to the moral foundations of good neighborliness in Islam. He emphasized that respect, care, and compassion toward one's neighbors are integral elements of the Islamic tradition. To support his remarks, he cited a hadith stating that the best person in the sight of the Almighty is the one who treats his neighbors in the best manner.
In his presentation, Fr. Janez Mihelčič, a priest of the Roman Catholic Church and Chancellor of the Apostolic Administration of Kyrgyzstan, addressed the historical dimension of good neighborliness, referring to Peter Frankopan's book The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World. He noted that the author views Central Asia not as a peripheral region but as a space that is once again emerging as one of the world's key centers of economic and political activity. According to the speaker, the historical experience of the Great Silk Road demonstrates that mutual respect, openness, and cooperation constitute the foundation of the region's sustainable development.
The concluding expert session, dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence, generated particularly lively discussion. Alexander Klyushev, Head of the Association of Religious Organizations of Kazakhstan, compared artificial intelligence to nuclear energy. According to him, the technology itself is neutral and can bring either tremendous benefits or serious harm. Everything depends on who controls it and the purposes for which it is used. He also noted that every achievement of the human intellect is possible only by the will of the Almighty and that new technologies should therefore be employed solely for the benefit of humanity.
"What is artificial intelligence for our region? It is not merely a technology. For us, as people of faith, it is a mirror reflecting our own choices," emphasized Bishop Savvatiy of Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan.
Summarizing the conference, the participants stressed that today the culture of good neighborliness extends far beyond relations between neighboring states. It is becoming a model of international cooperation based on trust, respect for human dignity, and the understanding that diversity is the primary source of unity and sustainable development.
