The capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana, will host the VIII Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on 17–18 September under the Chairmanship of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The VIII Congress is expected to bring together over 100 delegations from approximately 60 countries. Among the participants will be spiritual leaders of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, and Shinto, as well as representatives of international organizations, scholars, political and public figures.

The upcoming global interfaith forum is set to welcome some of the world’s most prominent spiritual leaders, including Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb.

Programme highlights:

• 16 September – The XXIII session of the Secretariat will take place under the Chairmanship of the Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan – Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Maulen Ashimbayev. In addition, a Special Session on Safeguarding Religious Sites will take place under the auspices of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. The session will bring together leading religious and political leaders, diplomats, and representatives of public and international organizations to address global challenges related to threats to places of worship, shrines, and religious sites.

• 17 September – The plenary session of the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, chaired by the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, will take place. Centered on the theme “Dialogue of Religions: Synergy for the Future”, the session will include a series of breakout sessions addressing a wide range of pressing global issues.

• 18 September – The II Forum of Young Religious Leaders on the theme “Youth for Peaceful Coexistence: Synergy for the Future”.

For reference:

The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions was launched in Astana in September 2003. Since then, it has been held regularly every three years in Kazakhstan’s capital, bringing together senior representatives of the world’s major religions to promote dialogue, peace, and mutual understanding. The Congress has become a unique international platform for interfaith diplomacy, convening in the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, a landmark pyramid-shaped building constructed in 2006 to host the forum.

The most recent Congress took place in September 2022, gathering more than 100 delegations from over 50 countries under the theme “The role of leaders of world and traditional religions in the spiritual and social development of humanity in the post-pandemic period.”

At the 2022 session, participants adopted a comprehensive Final Declaration calling on political and religious leaders to work jointly to promote peace, solidarity, and dialogue, while preventing the misuse of religion for extremism and conflict. The Declaration placed particular emphasis on the role of women and youth in peacebuilding and tasked the Congress Secretariat with developing a long-term Concept for 2023–2033 to institutionalize the Congress’s activities. These outcomes ensured that the forum moved beyond dialogue into concrete commitments with global resonance. The 2022 Congress was also notable for the participation of Pope Francis, who used his address to urge dialogue and reconciliation between peoples and faiths, underscoring the importance of the forum as a bridge-builder in a divided world.

Over the past two decades, the Congress has consolidated its place as one of the most prominent international gatherings of spiritual leaders, reinforcing Kazakhstan’s role as a convener of dialogue and a contributor to peace and cooperation among civilizations.

Media Contact
Company Name: International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue
Contact Person: Salyhova Maria
Email: Send Email
Address:Palace of Peace and Reconciliation
City: Astana
Country: Kazakhstan
Website: https://religions-congress.org/