Congratulatory Message from the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, K.-Zh. K. Tokayev, on the Consecration of the Church Dedicated to the New Martyrs and Confessors of Shymkent at Lisya Balka

To the participants in the opening ceremony of the memorial church in the city of Shymkent

Dear Orthodox citizens of Kazakhstan!

On the occasion of the opening of the memorial church, I extend my greetings to the Orthodox community of our country, represented by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan.

This event carries profound historical and moral significance. In the 1930s, mass executions and secret burials of people of various ethnic backgrounds and religious faiths took place at the infamous Lisya Balka site, including followers of the two leading religious traditions in our country—Islam and Orthodox Christianity.

The construction of a church at such a tragic site is therefore an act of restoring historical justice and paying tribute to all those who suffered innocently. A mosque will also be built here in the near future. The church and mosque will form a single memorial complex, which will become a symbol of the principles enshrined in our Constitution: unity and solidarity, and interethnic and interfaith harmony.

It is our moral duty to remember these tragic lessons of history and to prevent such tragedies from happening again. The new memorial complex in Shymkent will serve both as a place of prayer and commemoration and as a center for education and moral development, where young people will be able to gain valuable knowledge about the world around them.

There is no doubt that the Orthodox Church will continue to make a significant contribution to strengthening constructive values in our society, including mutual trust and harmony.

I wish you good health, happiness, and well-being!