Kazakhstan, Egypt keen on developing interreligious and inter-civilization dialogue

Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Egypt Kairat Lama Sharif held a meeting with newly appointed Minister of Awgaf of the Arab Republic of Egypt Osama al-Azhari and presented him with a congratulatory letter on behalf of  Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva. The letter noted that the friendly relations and high level of cooperation developed between Kazakhstan and Egypt will continue to be comprehensively deepened for the sake of the fraternal countries, Kazinform News Agency has learned from the press service of the Kazakh MFA. 

In 2023, Advisor to the President of Egypt on Islamic Affairs Osama al-Azhari visited Kazakhstan twice. The Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Awgaf of Egypt are set to continue to develop further bilateral relations in various areas in the spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding.

On July 29-30, 2024, in Cairo, the international conference entitled “Fatwa and the Ethical Foundation in an Accelerating World” was held under the auspices of the President of Egypt. The conference was attended by Chairman of the Committee on Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Nukezhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, Deputy Mufti Sansyzbay Shokanov and Head of the Department of Religious Education and Personnel Training of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan Hasan Amankulov.

In addition, on August 25-26, a delegation headed by Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, Chief Mufti Nauryzbay Kazhy Taganuly is to take part in the 35th International Conference in Cairo on the theme “The Role of Women in Improving Literacy”.

Minister Balayeva, in her congratulatory letter, reconfirmed Kazakhstan’s strong commitment to establishing and strengthening constructive interreligious and inter-civilization dialogue. As part of the continuation of this creative tradition, the next XXII Meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions will be held in Astana on October 8 this year. It is expected that high representatives of Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb and Minister of Awqaf of Egypt Osama al-Azhari will attend the meeting.