ASTANA – The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions plays a crucial and unifying role, stated Maulen Ashimbayev, chairman of the Senate, the upper chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, Khabar 24 TV channel reported on Oct. 5.
Maulen Ashimbayev. Photo credit: senate.parlam.kz.
Ashimbayev, who also serves as the head of the Congress Secretariat, said that in the current geopolitical situation, the system of international security, formed after the Second World War, is being demolished.
He noted that institutions such as the United Nations (UN) and the UN Security Council have proven to be not effective enough in preventing conflicts. This has led religious leaders to seek alternative platforms for dialogue and cooperation.
Ashimbayev highlighted the crucial role played by Kazakhstan’s Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions as a platform that advocates for interfaith dialogue and addresses broad human concerns amid the global need to overhaul the international relations system, institutions, and mechanisms.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first congress, which took place in September 2003. Over these two decades, the congress has transformed into an influential international platform recognized by global religious leaders.
According to Ashimbayev, around 85% of the world’s population currently affiliates with a particular religion, which testifies to the significant influence of spiritual leaders amid the diminishing impact from state institutions on an international level.
The Senate chairman informed that the upcoming secretariat meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 11, will discuss the progress in developing a unified approach to address climate change, poverty, and the fight against radicalism, among other pressing global issues.
