13 September 2006
The Second Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has opened in Kazakhstan’s capital city Astana. The congress will focus on freedom of religion and respect for other religions, and the role of religious leaders in strengthening international security. Unlike the first such event in September 2003 this year’s conference is attended by political leaders from different countries as well as special envoys from a number of international organizations. Observers have noted that the Astana congress will be the first large-scale event where representatives of the religious circles of the Arab Countries could meet their Israeli counterparts since the end of the Lebanon conflict. The congress has brought together 30 representatives of world and traditional religions, including from Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Daoism and Shintoism, and 13 guests of honor. The event is being attended by representatives of international religious organizations, among them the World Conference on Religion and Peace, the World Foundation for Zarathustra Culture and the World Council of Churches. Unlike the previous congress, the current one will be attended by politicians from different countries, among them former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammad, former Iranian president Khatami and UNESCO chief Koichiro Matsuura.
Alexander Machkevitch, president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, believes that the congress will focus on religion and society role in preserving international security, which has become its motto. “We are taking part in the congress not only to share the positive experience in cooperation between confessions in our region,” Machkevitch told reporters, “it is important that the international Jewish delegation that had arrived with our assistance and which includes the chief rabbis of Israel finds ways for mutual understanding with Islamic countries here, first of all through the dialogue between their political and spiritual leaders." Machkevitch also told reporters that the cornerstone-laying ceremony for the future synagogue in Oskemen was planned to match in time with the congress. The synagogue will be named Beit Rachel after Machkevitch’s mother.