8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions concludes in Astana

The 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has concluded in Astana. In his closing speech, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that only peace and stability can serve as an unshakable guarantee of a bright future. The main outcome of the congress was the adoption of the Astana Declaration of Peace 2025. Leaders of world and traditional religions spoke out against extremism, violence, and religious hatred, emphasizing the need to unite efforts for the advancement of humanity.

«Within two days, you reached a common understanding of the future agenda and the key areas of the work of the Congress as reflected in a joint final Declaration. I call upon all participants of the forum, together with Goodwill Ambassadors to actively promote the ideas of this Declaration. I strongly support your recommendations to the Secretariat of the Congress to draft a document on the role of religious leaders in addressing climate change and to formulate universal principles for the responsible use of artificial intelligence guided by spirituality and humanism,» Tokayev noted.

President Tokayev once again underscored the importance of protecting religious sites to preserve historical memory, cultural diversity, and humanity’s spiritual heritage. As part of the Congress, a UN special session was held on this topic. The Forum of Young Religious Leaders also made a significant contribution to the development of spiritual diplomacy. The Head of State reiterated that Kazakhstan fully supports interreligious and intercultural dialogue and will actively promote the Congress’s growing influence as a global platform for dialogue. The next forum of spiritual leaders is scheduled for 2028. 

«We remain committed to expanding the Congress Secretariat network of cooperation with the United Nations institutions and other organizations.  A series of events will be held in collaboration with international partners, youth experts and volunteer organizations, all dedicated to promoting the ideas of the Congress,» Tokayev added.

Web-editor: Арайлым Серқанова