Vatican Reveals that Pope Francis Hopes to Travel to Kazakhstan this Year for the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

Vatican News reported that Pope Francis expressed the intention to visit Kazakhstan during a video conference with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He wishes to attend the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which is scheduled take place in the capital Nur-Sultan in September, 2022.

This is for the occasion of the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions to be held early in September in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan. The theme of this year’s event will be "The Role of Leaders of World and Traditional Faiths in the Socio-Spiritual Development of Humanity after the Pandemic".

According to Holy See Press Office director, Matteo Bruni, the Pope spoke about this possible journey during a live video conversation he held on Monday with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions is held in Nur-Sultan (former Astana) every three years, gathering world religious leaders from across the world. It was begun in 2003 by former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev on the model of the "Day of Prayer for Peace" convened in Assisi, Italy, by Pope St. John Paul II on 24 January 2002 in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in the United States, to reaffirm the positive contribution of religious traditions to dialogue and harmony between peoples and nations.

Muslims account for the majority of the population (70%) and Christians, mostly Orthodox, for some 30%, of which Catholics 1%. The motto chosen for that visit was significantly “Love one other” highlighting the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of Kazakh society which the Polish Pope described as a “country open to dialogue and encounter”.

Edited from Vatican News