ASTANA – With significant influence on local and international levels, spiritual leaders could assist in addressing climate change, inequality, and extremism, helping to end conflicts and wars through unity, Maulen Ashimbayev, chairman of the Senate, an upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, said at an April 4 roundtable discussion during his working visit to the Vatican and Italy, reported the Senate’s press service.
Maulen Ashimbayev meets Pope Francis. Photo credit: senate.parlam.kz
Prior to this roundtable, organized by the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Ashimbayev had an audience with Pope Francis.
The Senate Speaker expressed gratitude for the Holy See’s comprehensive support for the Congress, noting that the Pope’s participation in the seventh meeting contributed to further strengthening global interreligious dialogue and the development of spiritual diplomacy at the international level.
Pope Francis highlighted the Congress’s importance as a unique and well-proven platform that “personifies Kazakhstan as a country of meetings,” recalling President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to the Vatican in January.
Ashimbayev stressed the President’s focus on transitioning to a green economy, with comprehensive efforts underway within relevant authorities.
With Italy’s Senate President Ignazio La Russa, Ashimbayev emphasized strengthening parliamentary interaction. They discussed issues of enhancing trade, economic, cultural, humanitarian, and investment cooperation and expanding partnerships in education and tourism.
