Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions opens in Astana
The forum unites religious leaders for the sake of peace, the protection of holy sites, and the search for answers to the challenges of the nuclear and digital age.
On September 16, 2025, the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions opened at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana, Kazakhstanskaya Pravda reports.
The Congress is held under the theme “Dialogue of Religions: Synergy for the Future” and will last three days – until September 18. Ahead of the forum, the 23rd session of the Secretariat approved the working agenda and elected the Congress’s Goodwill Ambassadors. Participants – representatives of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Shintoism, and others – are discussing the role of religion in strengthening global peace, preventing extremism, and fostering a culture of mutual respect and cooperation.
The program includes section meetings, an expert roundtable, the 2nd Forum of Young Religious Leaders, as well as a special session of the UN Alliance of Civilizations on the protection of religious sites, where the UN Plan of Action for the safety of places of worship is being presented.
Organizers emphasize that the goal of the forum is not only dialogue but also the practical implementation of joint initiatives: interfaith projects, protection of sacred sites, support of humanitarian efforts, and coordinated ethical approaches to new technologies (including AI). The adoption of the Astana Declaration of Peace–2025 is planned as a joint statement in support of peace, interreligious harmony, and spiritual diplomacy.
Since 2003, the Congress has become a stable international platform for interreligious dialogue: its documents are regularly disseminated at the UN level, and its outreach events have been held in Jerusalem, the Vatican, Mecca, and Singapore.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Sofia, a mufti prayed for peace together with Zoria, Catholics, and Protestants.
