To move from sending a message to making a difference, Ishmael Noko

Like many others around the world, I was concerned to hear of the passage by Kazakhstan's Parliament of a new law on religion that was widely reported as containing harsher restrictions on freedom of religion and belief than previously obtained in Kazakhstan. Thankfully, President Nazarbayev took due note of the concerns being expressed and referred the draft law to Kazakhstan's Constitutional Council. The Council has since ruled that the proposed law was unconstitutional, finding that it did "not ensure equality between religious communities." We welcome this ruling because it is in line with fundamental values on which this Congress is based" Ishmael Noko said addressing the third gathering of the religious congress.

"The Government and people of Kazakhstan have invested heavily in bringing us to this place and in creating this potential. We all must recognize and honour that investment. It is very important, in my view, for these Congresses to continue - in order to heal the remaining unhealed memories, the harvest the fruits of the trust we have created among us, and to move from sending a message to making a difference. The investment of the Government and people of Kazakhstan would then begin to pay the true dividends of peace", Dr. Ishmael Noko concluded.