INTER- RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE SPECIAL REPORT | 9 - 15 OCTOBER 2018 http://eurac.tv/9PNc With the support of INTER- RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE SPECIAL REPORT | 9 - 15 OCTOBER 2018 Located at a crossroads of different civilizations, http://eurac.tv/9PNc Kazakhstan has placed great importance on promoting religious harmony and mutual respect. This year the country is hosting the sixth edition of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, an initiative which has its roots in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Contents Religion should not be used to sow divisions 4 Kazakh researcher: EU is like a dog with an Elizabethan collar 6 Religious leaders raise their flags at Astana gathering 9 A message from Astana: EU, be alert, the fascists are coming 11 Church leader: John Paul II left a legacy in Kazakhstan 13 4 9 - 15 OCTOBER 2018 | SPECIAL REPORT | INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE | EURACTIV OPINION DISCLAIMER: All opinions in this column reflect the views of the author(s), not of EURACTIV.COM Ltd. Religion should not be used to sow divisions By Kassym-Jomart Tokayev The Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions takes place in Astana, Kazakhstan. [Egemen Kazakhstan] n recent years, many thousands Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is a career other. Religious beliefs give direction, have died and millions more diplomat, chairman of Kazakhstan’s comfort and hope to billions of people. Ihad to flee their homes due to Senate and head of the Secretariat of the Religious communities appear conflicts in which religion has been Congress of the Leaders of World and to have enormous potential for used to justify discrimination and Traditional Religions. addressing today’s social problems. violence. Countering these dangerous Faith groups across the globe are distortions is one of the challenges Religion has been, and remains, prominent in feeding the hungry, that religious leaders will address in an immense spiritual force for good sheltering the homeless and caring for Astana on 10 and 11 October, writes in our world. The shared values which the vulnerable. Our world would be Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. underpin all world’s major faiths have positively moulded how we treat each Continued on Page 5 9 - 15 OCTOBER 2018 | SPECIAL REPORT | INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE | EURACTIV 5 Continued from Page 4 increased from 23 to 80. High-profile more critical to provide the forum attendees included then UN Secretary- where religious and political leaders poorer without the impact of religion General Ban Ki-moon, King Abdullah can work together to prevent any on our lives. of Jordan and President of Finland distortion of faith for violent ends. Throughout history, religion has Sauli Niinistö. Discussions centred The upcoming Congress is so vital for also been exploited to sow divisions. on the role of religion in promoting peace and prosperity. Instead of bringing people together development and measures to reduce and encouraging them to behaving appeal of violent extremism among decently toward each other, it has been young people. abused to fuel suspicions and hatred, The Sixth Congress, which takes spread confusion about the true place on October 10-11, will build essence of religion. We are facing the on this efforts. Its focus is on how problem of ignoring what religions religious leaders can work together to have in common and exaggerating play their full part in creating a secure and distorting the difference between, world and prevent faith being abused and at times within, faiths. to set people against each other. The abuse of religion continues Located at a crossroads of different and is undermining hopes for peace civilizations, Kazakhstan has placed and progress. In recent years, many greater importance on promoting thousands have died and millions religious harmony and mutual more had to flee their homes in respect. Our country’s history and conflicts, in which religion has been geography have combined to create used to justify discrimination and a society in which people of many violence. Countering these dangerous different backgrounds and faiths live distortions is one of the challenges within single boundaries. Religious that religious leaders should address. freedom has become a precious asset There is no single answer. of our nation, which allows diverse Yet at the heart of the solution is beliefs to peacefully coexist and helps dialogue between religions to foster us to negotiate any concerns in a understanding and respect. This is an constructive spirit. overarching aim of the Congress of Such a mixture could have been, as the Leaders of World and Traditional it has been the case in other countries, Religions which is to be held for the a worrying source of tension and sixth time in Kazakhstan’s capital conflict. Despite negative expectations Astana this month (October.) such diversity has been turned into a The Congress was initiated strength in our society where citizens by Kazakh President Nursultan are equally respected and are able to Nazarbayev amid the growing make their full contribution to the religious tensions and extremism common welfare. following the 9/11 terrorist attack As a matter of fact, while in the United States. He believed it Kazakhstan’s population may be was critical that the opportunity be largely Muslim, followers of all provided for religious leaders to work traditional faiths live in harmony with together to prevent religion being each other, are free to worship and used to divide us. enjoy equal rights guaranteed by the His vision has struck a chord constitution. It is a source not only across the world. The Congress, of national pride but has also been which takes place every three years an indispensable platform for our since 2003 has engaged prominent stability and prosperity at home and religious leaders and politicians growing influence abroad. from different countries around In this turbulent world, dialogue most pressing issues. By 2015, the and mutual respect has never been number of delegations attending had more important. Nor has it been 6 9 - 15 OCTOBER 2018 | SPECIAL REPORT | INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE | EURACTIV INTERVIEW Kazakh researcher: EU is like a dog with an Elizabethan collar By Georgi Gotev | EURACTIV.com Sagintay Berdaulova in Astana, on 9 October 2018. [Georgi Gotev] azakhstan has succeeded President of Kazakhstan in Astana. be held for the sixth time Astana, on where the EU has failed – 10 and 11 October. Tell us about this Kcreating a society based on She spoke to EURACTIV Senior initiative. multiculturalism, Sagintay Berdaulova Editor Georgi Gotev. told EURACTIV in an interview. The first such meeting took place We speak just before the opening of in 2003, not so long after Kazakhstan Sagintay Berdaulova is Lead the Congress of the Leaders of World Researcher of the Library of the First and Traditional Religions which is will Continued on Page 7 9 - 15 OCTOBER 2018 | SPECIAL REPORT | INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE | EURACTIV 7 Continued from Page 6 region. few hundred thousands of Moroccans This is why our President has for to Belgium. Why after so many years formed itself as a new state, in 1991. many years been proposing initiatives were the vast majority of these people This was an initial period of positioning for Afghanistan. We give Afghan not integrated? Why are some so hostile of our country in world affairs, it was students grants so that they could to the West? part of defining our values. obtain good education in Kazakhstan, Obviously this was about and also gain from acquiring a It’s like if your family has invited a positioning Kazakhstan as a peace- culture of communication with guest: everything will depend on how loving country, but also about people from other parts of the world, heartily you will welcome him, this solving internal problems via this from other civilisations. I’m sure will determine his attitude toward you. international positioning. We are these people, who were only used to In Europe, there has been a tradition a very multi-ethnic country, and seeing foreigners as colonizers, have of people being confined in their although we have had no difficulty experienced a very different attitude landscape, be it the Alps, the Pyrenees, preserving our internal peace, we live toward themselves. We are yet to see living in their small environment, in an ever more dangerous world, and what the initiative will produce, but with their customs, values. The influences are possible. creating relations in a non-mentor Europeans already find it difficult to The world is no longer what it style is important. communicate between themselves. In was 70 years ago, when World War 2 my view the same tradition is strongly ended and the international scene was What do you think of the so-called influencing the attitude toward much occupied by politicians. Maybe it’s time international community, it is obviously more alien people. In addition, there to think about spiritual, humanitarian not doing enough to fight religious has never been an objective to integrate values, of which traditionally religions extremim? Let’s take an example, what those people. In the beginning it was have been the exponent. Maybe it’s do you think of the action of the EU to assumed that they come to work, and time to create a new paradigm for help solve the problems you describe? later they will return home. relations between humans, to move So what is called tolerance away from confrontation. By the way, I will say something that may amounts to patience out of necessity. at one of the previous Congresses sound outrageous, but I think the EU In Kazakhstan it’s different, for a it was proposed that the culture of sometimes acts as if it was dog with number of reasons we are more peace should replace the culture of an Elizabethan collar.