Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, who is on a visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, participated in the 8th Astana Congress of World and Traditional Religions on September 17.
The theme of the 8th Congress of World and Traditional Religions, an influential international interfaith dialogue platform, is "Dialogue of Religions - Synergy for the Future." Sheikh-ul-Islam A. Pashazade, a permanent participant and a permanent member of the Congress Secretariat, which has a 23-year history, delivered a speech at the high-level event.

"I sincerely greet the participants of our esteemed meeting. I am honored to convey the greetings and blessings of the Azerbaijani people and the head of state, His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, to the Congress participants and the brotherly Kazakh people. I pray to our Almighty Lord to bless all our efforts and activities for the sake of the human family.
For more than two decades, the Kazakhstan Congresses, a traditional summit of influential religious leaders of the world, have confirmed their importance in the international arena. The exceptional significance of the Astana congresses lies in the fact that they are a permanently functioning platform for religious leaders, as well as political and public figures. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the state of Kazakhstan and its wise political leadership for bringing such an idea of human significance to life and ensuring its continued existence. Under the leadership of His Excellency the President of Kazakhstan, Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan is confidently moving along the path of progress and spiritual development. We are confident that the state of Kazakhstan will continue to play an active role in the process of developing dialogue between religions and civilizations.
Esteemed participants of the event! It is an important step for the 8th Astana Congress to put the topic "Dialogue of Religions - Synergy for the Future" on the agenda. In a time when wars do not cease, each of us, as representatives of all social strata and segments of society, has a share of responsibility. We must deeply understand this and increase our activism in preventing hate speech and promoting a spirit of human fraternity. We must act on our moral responsibility to end the murders and tragedies of innocent people in various parts of the world and use the power and capabilities of international law. Another worrying issue is related to the penetration of artificial intelligence into our lives. In an era of excessive development of digital technologies, the boundless spread of these innovations into all areas of our lives brings new opportunities, but also new threats. The most important thing in this matter is to observe moral and ethical boundaries and prevent the negative consequences that are highly likely to arise.
Honorable participants of the Congress! Dialogue and cooperation among religions are necessary for the sake of protecting human life, a sacred value created by the Almighty Creator. This cooperation must continue and develop in the spirit of the Document on Human Fraternity signed in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
As a religious leader, I appeal to all politicians to silence weapons and support diplomatic efforts to establish an environment of peace. We are grateful that the Azerbaijani state, having restored its territorial integrity, is carrying out large-scale construction work in our liberated territories, eliminating the severe consequences of ecocide and vandalism against our cultural and spiritual heritage. In this regard, we express our deep gratitude to the brotherly state of Kazakhstan for the Kurmangazy Center for the Development of Children's Creativity, which they built as a gift in the city of Fuzuli.
I once again express my deep gratitude and best wishes to the state of Kazakhstan, its leadership, and officials for the high-level organization and hospitality of the Astana Congress, as always. May the Almighty Creator always grant peace and tranquility in our countries and protect the world! Amen!"

Press Service of the CMB

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