In Almaty, the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan met with the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan A.G. Balaeva

On January 16, 2025, a meeting was held at the Republican House of Friendship in Almaty between the Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, and the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Galymovna Balaeva.

The meeting was also attended by Protopriest Eugene Ivanov, Acting Rector of the Almaty Orthodox Theological Seminary.

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan and the Minister of Culture exchanged greetings for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

It was noted that today, the state leadership and the leaders of traditional religions—primarily Hanafi Islam and Orthodoxy, which are the spiritual pillars and wings of Kazakhstani society—face pressing tasks. These include preserving the centuries-old way of life of the Great Steppe, rooted in enduring moral and cultural values, and ensuring interfaith peace and interethnic harmony in society.

Metropolitan Alexander and Aida Galymovna discussed preparations for the upcoming 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, one of whose key participants will be His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’. The interlocutors highly praised the efforts of the President of the country, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, whose initiative has continued to develop this major international forum, held regularly in the capital of the Republic. It was noted that, in the context of increasing geopolitical tensions, efforts must be focused and intensified through the Congress to strengthen dialogue and maintain unity and harmony worldwide in order to prevent the escalation and spread of international and interethnic conflicts.

Aida Galymovna emphasized that the Ministry of Culture and Information builds partnerships with the country’s religious organizations, including the Orthodox Church. In turn, the Metropolitan noted that strengthening the state-religious dialogue in Kazakhstan consistently contributes to the preservation of traditional spiritual and moral values, as well as the unity and harmony of the nation.

The conversation also covered a wide range of topics, including the role of mass media in maintaining societal stability and ensuring security, as well as the importance of combating disinformation and provocative statements on social media that incite interfaith and interethnic discord.

At the conclusion of the meeting, which took place in a friendly and businesslike atmosphere, the archpastor and the minister exchanged wishes of health and success in their efforts for the good of Kazakhstan.