Interfaith Dialogue, Kazakhstan, and Intersections

Next month, religious leaders from around the world will gather in Astana, Kazakhstan to participate in the Third Triennial Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. American voices--reflecting our religious pluralism--will be echoed by a five person multi-faith delegation, in addition to the presence of Intersections’ staff members Sara Reef and myself, C. Eduardo Vargas.

Leading the U.S. Religious delegation is The Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky, Director of External Affairs and Interchurch Relations for the Orthodox Church in America and current President of Christian Churches Together. His distinguished career in inter-faith affairs is equally matched by the other delegates who represent Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, and Protestantism in America. Joining him will be: Ms. Debbie Almontaser, a consultant on cultural/religious diversity issues for the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, NYPD and City Council; Rabbi J. Rolando Matalon, of New York’s Congregation B’nai Jeshurun; Fr. Dennis D. McManus, Professor of Theology at Georgetown University and Interreligious Affairs Consultant for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; and The Rev. Dr. Bernice Powell Jackson, North American President of the World Council of Churches and member of their Central Committee since 1998.

In December 2008, Intersections organized the first ever interfaith dinner at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in which 25 religious leaders representing 15 different faiths came together to share their religious traditions and learn more about religious diversity in Kazakhstan. This was followed by a meeting with Kazakhstan’s chief rabbi and a group of U.S. religious leaders in February 2009.

Next month’s international convening is a culmination of the work Intersections and the Embassy of Kazakhstan have done to strengthen the relationship between U.S. religious leaders and their Kazakhstani counterparts. Kazakhstan’s international interfaith gathering next month, is one of many forums that seek to bridge differences in religion and culture in an effort to use religion as a means to promote peace.

While in Astana, Intersections’ staff will begin to put together sustainable working groups focusing on youth, women, and the environment for future inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. This will help to implement the ideas brought forth in the Kazakhstani forum. To learn more about this endeavor, please contact our office.