His Holiness Patriarch Kirill Took Part in the Closing Ceremony of the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions

On September 18, 2025, the events of the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions continued in the capital of Kazakhstan.

The second day of the forum began with the opening ceremony of the Park of Peace and Harmony in Astana. This was followed by sectional sessions on the role of religions in consolidating people, sustainable development of peace, the spiritual understanding of digitalization and artificial intelligence, countering extremism, and peacemaking. In parallel, the 2nd Forum of Young Religious Leaders took place under the theme “Youth for Peaceful Coexistence: Synergy for the Sake of the Future”, as well as an expert round table devoted to the academic perspective on interreligious dialogue.

The above events were attended by clergy and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan, members of the official delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate, leaders and representatives of other religious communities and organizations, academics, journalists, and students of theological and secular higher educational institutions.

In the afternoon, the solemn closing ceremony of the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions took place at the Palace of Independence in Astana.

The ceremony, presided over by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart K. Tokayev, was attended by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and members of his delegation: Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, Head of the Metropolitan District of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Pavel of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Office for Dioceses in the Near Abroad; Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate; V.R. Legoyda, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Relations with Society and the Media; and Priest Ilya Kashitsyn, Secretary for Interreligious Relations of the DECR of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Speaking before those gathered — religious leaders, heads and representatives of international organizations, government and public figures, and experts from dozens of countries around the world — His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expressed satisfaction with the results of the interreligious forum and thanked the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart K. Tokayev and all those involved in organizing the Congress:

“Dear participants of the Congress!

I would like to express my satisfaction both with the very fact of this important gathering and with the results that have been achieved. And also, of course, with the wonderful atmosphere created through the involvement of the country’s authorities and the activists who assisted in organizing this work. We have truly acquired a global interreligious platform, a group of people committed to working together for the sake of peace and prosperity. I believe that in combination with other significant and important platforms, we can actively participate in solving, or in preparing solutions, or in studying the problems that are on the agenda of the whole human race today.

It is very important that religious leaders belonging to different religions and confessions worked hand in hand today as one family, which testifies to the closeness of our positions, despite the theological differences that have always existed and are unlikely to disappear anytime soon from our discourse. Nevertheless, the common goals before us today, in connection with the threats to the very existence of the human race, undoubtedly serve as an incentive for the further development of our joint work.

I would like to sincerely thank — on my behalf and, I hope, on behalf of all of you — President Tokayev, who personally devoted his time and made efforts to ensure that preparations for this event were carried out so wonderfully. I also wish to thank the religious leaders of Kazakhstan who participated in this work and provided hospitality for all of us.

May God’s blessing be upon us all, strengthening us on our common path toward building global peace and justice. All the best! Thank you for your attention.”

At the closing ceremony of the forum, the final declaration of the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions was adopted.