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XXIV Secretariat of the Congress

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS OF THE XXIV SESSION OF THE SECRETARIAT
OF THE CONGRESS OF THE LEADERS OF WORLD AND TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS

(October 7, 2026, Astana)

The total number of participants in the Secretariat Session is 34. Of these:
Representatives of Islam – 7;
Representatives of Christianity – 6;
Representatives of Judaism – 2;
Representative of the Bahá’í Faith – 1;
Representative of Hinduism – 1;
Representative of Buddhism – 1;
Representative of Taoism – 1;
Representative of Shinto – 1;
Representatives of international organizations – 4;
Political and public figures – 1;
Representatives of religious associations of Kazakhstan – 4;
Representatives of the Republic of Kazakhstan – 5.

REPRESENTATIVES OF ISLAM:

  1. Abdelrahman MOUSSA, Advisor to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar for International Relations (Egypt).
  2. Mohammed Abdulwahed ALARIFI, Advisor to the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
  3. Sheikh-Ul-Islam Allahshukur PASHAZADE, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board (Azerbaijan).
  4. Osama FAKHRY, Head of the Central Department for Mosque Affairs and the Holy Qur’an, Ministry of Awqaf of the Arab Republic of Egypt, PhD (Egypt).
  5. Fatih Mehmet KARACA, Vice President of the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye (Türkiye)
  6. Ali Akbar ZIAEI, Head of the Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization under the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, PhD (Iran).
  7. Muhammad ZIA UL-HAQ, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Narowal, PhD (Pakistan).

      REPRESENTATIVES OF CHRISTIANITY:

  1. Nektarios, Representative of the Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem in Istanbul (Israel).
  2. Igor VYZHANOV, Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate (DECR), Archpriest (Russia).
  3. Laurent BASANESE, Head of the Office of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See, Reverend Father, S.J. (Vatican).
  4. Rostislav NOVGORODOV, Primate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Representative of the Lutheran World Federation, Bishop (Switzerland).
  5. Dr. Jo Bailey WELLS, Deputy Secretary-General of the Anglican Communion, Bishop for Episcopal Ministry in the Anglican Communion, Right Reverend (United Kingdom).
  6. Elder Marcus B. NASH, Member of the Presidency of the Seventy, Head of the Church in the Eurasia region (USA).

      REPRESENTATIVES OF JUDAISM:

  1. Avinoam Yehonatan KUTSCHER, Special representative of the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel (Israel).
  2. David Antebi SACCA, Advisor to the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel (Israel). 

REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH:

  1. David RUTSTEIN, Secretary-General of the Bahá’í International Community, PhD (Israel).

REPRESENTATIVE OF BUDDHISM:

  1. Qiu SHUANG, Vice President of the Buddhist Association of China, President of the Buddhist Association of Jiangsu province (China).

       REPRESENTATIVE OF TAOISM:

  1. Sun XIAO, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Taoist Association, Chairman of the Management Committee of Beijing Dongyue Temple, taoist (China).

       REPRESENTATIVE OF SHINTO:

  1. Megumi ABE, Head of the International Department of the Education Center of the Association of Shinto Shrines “Jinja Honcho” (Japan).

REPRESENTATIVE OF HINDUISM:

  1. Pallavi Nalawade JAMBHALE, Dean and Director of the Institute of Dharma Studies, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, doctor (India).

       REPRESENTATIVES OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

  1. Abdulrahman Abdullah AL-ZAID, Deputy Secretary-General of the Muslim World League for Corporate Communications (KSA)
  2. Nihal SAAD, Director of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (USA).
  3. Mohamed ABDELSALAM, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders (UAE).
  4. Marwan Sarwar GILL, Commissioner of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Imam (Argentina)

POLITICAL AND PUBLIC FIGURES:

  1. Afra Mohamed ALSAABRI, Director-General of the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence (UAE).

      REPRESENTATIVES OF RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS OF KAZAKHSTAN:

  1. Nauryzbay Haji TAGANULY, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, Supreme Mufti.
  2. Sergiy KARAMYSHEV, Archimandrite of the Dormition Cathedral.
  3. Tomash Bernard PETA, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana.
  4. Yeshaya Elazar COHEN, Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan.

      REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN:

  1. Erlan KARIN, Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Vice President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
  2. Yerzhan ASHIKBAYEV, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
  3. Rustam ALI, Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Vice Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
  4. Kanatbek ZHAISANBAYEV, Deputy Chairman of the Kazakhstan Halyk Kenesi – Head of the Secretariat of the Kazakhstan Halyk Kenesi.
  5. Gulsana KOZHABAY, Chair of the Board of the International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue.
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