Nursultan Nazarbayev Center for Development of Interfaith and Inter-Civilization Dialogue (Kazakhstan) and IRCICA have organized an International Round Table on the theme “Significance of the 7th Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and the Congress’ Declaration” which was held in hybrid format at IRCICA headquarters in Istanbul on 26 April 2023. The round table gave a follow-up to the 7th Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which was held in Nur-Sultan, on 14-15 September 2022. The meeting highlighted the importance of the Declaration issued by the Congress that underscored the role of religious leaders towards achieving dialogue and cooperation around the world.
Following the opening address of IRCICA Director General Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol Kılıç, the following dignitaries gave addresses: Chairman of the Board of the N. Nazarbayev Center Bulat Sarsenbayev, Chairman of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue Dr. Ibrahim Saleh Al-Naimi, President of the Planetary Union of Brazil Ulisses Riedel de Resende, Chief Mufti of Istanbul Safi Arpagus, Chairman of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Jarwan (UAE), Director of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies Dr. Renee Hattar (Jordan), General Director of the Institute for Islamic Studies at the International Islamic University of Islamabad Dr. Muhammad Zia Ul-Haq, Former Ambassador of Türkiye to the Vatican Kenan Gürsoy, Director of the Akshardam Center for Applied Research in the Field of Social Harmony Jayotindra Mukundrai Dave (India), Director of the Center for Islamic Civilization under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shoazim Minovarov, Secretary General of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Central Asia, Auxiliary Bishop Evgeny Zinkovsky, Professor of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Marmara, Türkiye Dr. Ismail Taspinar and Assoc. Prof. at the Department of History, Nazarbayev University, Dr. Daniel Scarborough.
In his address, IRCICA Director General Prof. Dr. Mahmud Erol Kılıç said that the institutions committed to promoting the realization of the concepts of inter-faith and intercultural understanding, tolerance and harmony are carrying them to international platforms where cross-cultural exchanges are cultivated towards those aims and also as a catalyst of human solidarity for tackling global challenges. IRCICA is the OIC’s research centre in charge in this field and cooperates with other institutions concerned, including Nazarbayev Center.
The Chairman of the Board of the N. Nazarbayev Center Bulat Sarsenbayev identified the significant role of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in strengthening religious tolerance and understanding between civilizations and said: “The 35-articles Declaration contains the main message that the Congress should continue its permanent activities for peace and dialogue among religions, cultures and civilizations.”
On the eve of the round table, the Chairman of the Board of Nazarbayev Center, Ambassador Bulat Sarsenbayev paid a visit of greetings to IRCICA and met with Prof. Dr. Cengiz Tomar, Head of Research and Publications, IRCICA, representing the Director General of IRCICA Prof. Dr. Kılıç, and Prof. Dr. Ashirbek Muminov, Consultant to IRCICA Director General on Organizational Activities. The meeting revolved around the issues of cooperation between the two institutions.
