On October 6, 2021, the XIX session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions led by Chairperson of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, His Excellency Mr. Maulen ASHIMBAYEV, took place in Nur-Sultan.
The session was attended by:
Representatives of Islam:
Haji Allahshükür Pashazade, Chair of the Caucasus Muslims Board (Azerbaijan).
Abdulaziz bin Ahmad Sarhan, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Muslim World League (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), in absentia (speech attached).
Nazir Muhammad Ayyad, Secretary General of Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy (The Arab Republic of Egypt).
Mohammed Abdul Wahed Al-Arifi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ali Erbaş, Head of Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs.
Bircan Remzi, Director of the Department of Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs.
Muhammad Zia Ul Haq, Director General of the Islamic Research
Institute at the International Islamic University, Islamabad (Islamic Republic of Pakistan).
Muhammad al-Shahat al-Jundi, Representative of the Minister of Awqaf (Endowments) of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Rector of the Kazakh- Egyptian Nur-Mubarak University of Islamic Culture.
Dr. Zahra Rashidbeygi, Director of the Department for Dialogue between Islam and Christianity at the Center for Dialogue of Religions and Cultures of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Representatives of Christianity:
Henderson Michael Nektarios, Representative of the Patriarch of the Autocephalous Church of Jerusalem, Archbishop of Anthedon (Israel).
Markos Oganesyan, Head of the Ukrainian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Bishop (Ukraine, Lviv).
Dimitry Safonov, Secretary for Interreligious Relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church (the Russian Federation).
Khaled Akasheh, Bureau Chief for Islam at the Pontifical Council of the Holy See for Interreligious Dialogue, Monsignor (Vatican City).
Yuri Novgorodov, Representative of the Lutheran World Federation, Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kazakhstan.
Jo Bailey Wells, Representative of the Anglican Church, Bishop of Dorking (The United Kingdom).
Representatives of Judaism:
Shlomo Menachem Kook, Representative of the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi.
Joel Adler- Representative of the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi.
Representatives of Buddhism:
Khunkhur Byambajav, Secretary General of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace (Mongolia).
Yang Ki-Hoon, Director of the Representative Office of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in Central Asia and the Jaeunsa Temple.
Thanes Sucharikul, Advisor to the President of the World Fellowship of Buddhist (Thailand).
Zong Xing, Deputy General Secretary of the Buddhists Association of China.
Representative of Taoism:
Zhang Gaochen, Vice Chair of the China Taoist Association.
Representative of Shintoism:
Shinsaku Mizui, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Jinja Honcho Association of Shinto Shrines (Japan).
Representative of Hinduism:
Rudraksha Sakrikar, Secretary of the Program on Interfaith Relations and Mutual Understanding of Somaya Vidyavihar University (India).
Representatives of international organizations:
Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (Spain).
Sultan Faisal Al Remeithi, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders (United Arab Emirates).
Namic Guner Erpul, Senior Representative, UNAOC in Geneva.
Representatives of religious associations of Kazakhstan:
Nauryzbay kazhy Taganuly, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, the Supreme Mufti.
Gennady, Bishop of Kaskelensky, Vicar of the Diocese of Astanaisky.
Tomasz Bernard Peta, Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Mary in Nur-Sultan.
Yeshaya Elazar Cohen, Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan.
Representatives of the Republic of Kazakhstan:
Maulen Ashimbayev, Chairperson of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
Aida Balayeva, Minister of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Akan Rakhmetullin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
Serik Yegizbayev, Vice-Minister of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
Bulat Sarsenbayev, Chair of the Board of the N. Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue NP JSC, Commissioner for promoting the goals and objectives of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
The participants of the XIX session of the Congress Secretariat approved the following Agenda:
- On preparations for the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and the significance of the Congress in the post- pandemic development of the
- Exchange of views on topics of plenary and breakout sessions of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, and on the format of
- Determination of the format of the Final Document of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional
- Exchange of views on the criteria for awarding the Astana International Award for Interfaith Dialogue and the Medal of Honor of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional
- On the Kazakhstan model of interethnic and interfaith harmony and the role of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Leader of the Nation Nursultan Nazarbayev in promoting interreligious and intercivilization
- Setting the dates of the XX session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional
- Setting the date of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional
- Adoption of the Minutes of the XIX session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional
During the session of the Congress Secretariat, a fruitful and constructive exchange of views on all items of the Agenda took place.
All members of the Secretariat took part in discussions of the abovementioned items.
Considering the proposals of the participants of the XIX session of the Congress Secretariat, the following decisions were made:
- To take note of the information provided by the participants of the Secretariat session on the preparations for the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional To continue the preparatory work for the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
- The following key topic is defined for the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions:
The role of leaders of world and traditional religions in the spiritual and social development of humanity in the post-pandemic period.
Session No. 1:
The role of religions in strengthening spiritual and moral values in contemporary world.
Session No. 2:
The role of education and religious enlightenment in strengthening the respectful coexistence of religions and cultures, justice and peace.
Session No. 3:
The contribution of religious leaders and politicians to the formation of global inter-religious dialogue and peace, countering extremism, radicalism and terrorism, particularly religiously motivated.
Session No. 4:
The contribution of women to well-being and sustainable development of society and the role of religious communities in supporting the social status of women.
- To approve the Declaration as the Final Document of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
- To approve the updated conceptual criteria for nominating candidates for the Astana International Award for Interfaith Dialogue and the Medal of Honor of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional
- To recommend the Council of Religious Leaders to include in the Final Document of the Congress theses on the significance of the Kazakhstan model of interethnic and interfaith harmony and the role of His Excellency the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev in promoting global intercivilizational and interreligious
- To hold the XX session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on September 13, 2022 in Nur-Sultan city, Republic of
- To hold the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on September 14-15, 2022 in Nur-Sultan city, Republic of
- To adopt the Minutes of the XIX session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional
- To inform the members of the Council of Religious Leaders on the decisions
Done in Nur-Sultan city on October 6, 2021, in one original copies, in English and Russian, both texts being equally authentic.
The minutes are kept at the headquarters of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, N. Nazarbayev Center for the Development of Interfaith and Intercivilizational Dialogue, which will send certified copies of the minutes to each Party.
