World and Traditional Religions Leaders Set to Gather in Kazakhstan for 2028 Congress

The Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions has officially approved the draft final document, the Declaration of the VIII Congress.

Maulen Ashimbayev, Kazakh Senate Speaker and head of the Secretariat, also announced the schedule for the next Secretariat meeting, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

“Following preliminary discussions by the working group, it is proposed to hold the next meeting on October 7, 2026, in Astana,” he said.

Looking further ahead, Ashimbayev stated that the IX Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions is tentatively planned for 2028 in Astana, with the exact dates to be determined later.

The VIII Congress, set for September 17-18 in Astana, is expected to host approximately 100 delegations from 60 countries. The event will bring together spiritual leaders representing Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Daoism, Zoroastrianism, and Shintoism.

Earlier, Nihal Saad, Director of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), highlighted the global importance of protecting religious sites.