The EAJC will participate in the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress is set to participate in the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Nur-Sultan on September 14-15. This was agreed upon on Monday, July 4, during a special meeting in Tel Aviv between Satybaldy Burshakov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Israel, and Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili, President of the EAJC. The parties discussed Israeli-Kazakhstani diplomatic relations, the 30th anniversary of which is celebrated this year, as well as the large-scale socio-economic and political reforms currently underway in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The President of the EAJC expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Kazakhstan for organizing this large-scale event in the post-pandemic period and offered to make a significant contribution to the successful execution of the Congress. A representative delegation from the Congress plans to participate in its proceedings.

In turn, Mr. Burshakov expressed his appreciation to the EAJC leadership for their long-standing and consistent support of Kazakhstan's initiatives to promote inter-confessional and inter-civilizational dialogue. He briefed the interlocutors on the outcomes of the nationwide referendum on constitutional amendments held on June 5, highlighted the significance of the socio-economic and political reforms in the country, and discussed the activities of the permanent Intergovernmental Commission and the development of business cooperation.

In his turn, Mikhail Mirilashvili reiterated a fundamental principle of the EAJC's mission — to facilitate stronger ties between the states of the Euro-Asian region and Israel, as well as to counter radical Islamism and foster interfaith and interethnic dialogue.

The head of the Congress emphasized the unique nature of the Kazakhstani model of state development, which is built upon the values of religious and ethnic tolerance, multi-ethnic peace, and harmony.

The meeting was also attended by Dr. Haim Ben Yakov, Director General of the EAJC. He noted that the history of relations between the Jewish community and the leadership of the Republic of Kazakhstan dates back to 2002, when a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Euro-Asian Rabbinical Council and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan.

Subsequently, in February 2003, the EAJC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kazakhstan, co-organized the first International Conference on Peace and Harmony in Almaty. The event was attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Afghanistan, along with a prominent delegation from the EAJC and American Jewish organizations.

The conference resulted in the formulation of core principles for dialogue between Muslim states and world Jewry, paving the way for continued progress in this direction. A notable outcome of such international dialogue was the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2021 between Israel and several Arab nations.

In the autumn of 2003, the EAJC co-organized the Congress of World and Traditional-National Religions in Astana, facilitating contact with major spiritual leaders of world Islam. Much later, in 2018, the VI Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions took place, with the Chief Sephardic and Ashkenazi Rabbis of Israel participating as full delegates.

Throughout these years, EAJC leaders maintained close contact with the leadership of Kazakhstan, culminating in an official meeting. In April 2019, a group of international Jewish leaders led by Mikhail Mirilashvili, President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), held talks with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan. During the meeting, the parties noted the active development of the Jewish community in Kazakhstan, which receives necessary support at the state level. At that time, the EAJC leaders requested President Tokayev to consider supporting Israel within international organizations and thanked him for the state’s consistent condemnation of antisemitism and support of the Jewish community. Additionally, the parties discussed a wide range of issues regarding the status of the Jewish community and bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Israel.

Over the past 30 years, both nations have achieved a high level of cooperation in the political, economic, trade, and cultural spheres. The parties actively collaborate within the framework of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. A key area of bilateral cooperation between Israel and Kazakhstan is trade and economy. In 2021, foreign direct investment from Israel into the economy of Kazakhstan reached $33 million.

Currently, the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress is preparing a public and scientific symposium dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of full-fledged diplomatic relations between the Jewish state and the Republic of Kazakhstan.