Religious Leaders Present Ambitious 10-Year Development Plan at Congress
World Religious Leaders Approve Development Concept of Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions for Next Decade
During the 21st session of the secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana on October 11th, world religious leaders gave their approval to the development concept for the next ten years.
The main goal of the Congress, from 2003 to 2023, was to strengthen and promote multilateral interreligious dialogue. Maulen Ashimbayev, chairman of the secretariat and chairperson of the Senate, expressed his satisfaction with the successful accomplishment of this mission. However, he emphasized the need to continue developing and strengthening interreligious dialogue, as well as exploring the potential of spiritual diplomacy.
The development concept has integrated all the suggestions from the secretariat members, according to First Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Umarov. The primary aim of the concept is to emphasize joint efforts to strengthen dialogue and trust for peace and cooperation, promote spiritual and moral values, and preserve religious and cultural diversity. The draft concept focuses on increasing the role of the Congress in strengthening and promoting inter-religious dialogue and cooperation.
Umarov highlighted the significance of implementing the outcomes of the previous congresses, stating that the aspiration is to develop the dialogue platform into a real mechanism for strengthening interreligious ties at the global level. The development of capabilities in spiritual diplomacy is given particular attention.
The approval of the development concept marks a significant step towards fostering greater understanding, cooperation, and harmony among different religious communities worldwide. The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions will continue its mission of promoting multilateral interreligious dialogue for the next ten years, with the aim of building a more peaceful and inclusive world.
