Kazakhstan initiates the inter-confessional dialog
RARIS-BRUSSELS. June 24. KAZINFORM /Yerjan Ospanov/ - A Roundtable entitled "Contribution of Kazakhstan to Inter-Confessional Dialogue" was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the representatives of Pontuaz Catholic Church in Pontuaz (Val-d-Uaz, Il-de-France). The event was timed to the III Congress of leaders of the world and traditional religions, which will be held on June 1-2 2009 in Astana. Bishop Jean-Iv Riokre and Abbot G.Prikhodko, representatives of the Association "Theology for Youth", pupils and teachers of the school, and residents of Pontuaz took part in the event, Kazinform correspondent reports with reference to the Embassy of the RK in Paris.
The attention of attendants was focused on Kazakhstan's intentions to contribute to peacemaking and concord, supporting the efforts of UN to develop the dialogue between cultures and civilizations, initiated the Congress of leaders of the world and traditional religions. The first and the second Congresses took place in 2003 and 2006. They expressed efforts of the world community to prevent cultural and religious conflicts, to build tolerant and stable world, to achieve sustainable development. Kazakhstan efficient model of inter-confessional and interethnic concord contributes a lot to the global process of inter-civilization and intercultural dialog.
Ensuring international peace and inter-confessional accord among the people of Kazakhstan is the strategic goal of the state. After the II Congress in Kazakhstan the Kazakhstan initiative to declare 2010 "The year of cultural rapprochement" was accepted by the General Assembly of UN (17.12.2007, Resolution 62/90).
During the roundtable the French party showed its interest to the history, culture and traditions of the Kazakhstan people, to the actual problems of the state and Kazakhstan citizens. The message of the Kazakhstan President to the people of Kazakhstan and the State program "Way to Europe" were explained to the participants.