Kazakh FM tells UN about 6th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

"The upcoming congress will be dedicated to the role of religious leaders in maintaining a safe world. We expect spiritual leaders to achieve meaningful results for the sake of building trust and mutual respect, fighting religious extremism and creating a safe world," the Foreign Minister stated at the meeting. He spoke about the participation in the forum of religious and political leaders, heads of international organisations, and representatives of civil society.

High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser said during the meeting that he would take part in the Sixth Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Astana as Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Referring to the main theme of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Group of Friends Ministerial Meeting "Building Bridges: Using Soft Power to Promote a Culture of Peace", Mr. Abdrakhmanov noted that hard power tools had exhausted their initial limited goals, the reality was that their success was temporary, and the use of military force created new violence. The most effective basic means of soft power with a long-term impact are those that promote tolerance, education, and the spread of positive human values - the main elements for preventing conflicts and supporting social unity.

In this respect, Mr. Abdrakhmanov spoke about Kazakhstan's programme for the modernisation of public consciousness, Rukhani Janghyru, which focuses on preserving national identity and further integrating Kazakhstan into the global cultural environment. He also drew attention to the steps taken by Kazakhstan to promote peace and stability in Central Asia, including the allocation funds for the education of Afghan students in Kazakhstan, and participation in a joint project with Uzbekistan and the European Union to educate Afghan girls in Kazakh and Uzbek universities.