Astana, 17 - 18 September 2025 - The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) participated in the VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held in Astana under the auspices of H.E. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The Congress gathered prominent religious leaders, government officials, and representatives of international organizations to discuss how interfaith dialogue can serve as a cornerstone for peace, tolerance, and sustainable development in a time of global turbulence.
H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of IOFS, attended both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Congress. In his remarks, President Tokayev emphasized the exceptional importance of interreligious dialogue amid current geopolitical instability. The President further highlighted the role of the Islamic Organziation of Food Security created at the initiative of Kazakhstan, and underlined the invaluable contribution of religious communities to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through humanitarian missions, volunteer programs, education and healthcare, support for youth and vulnerable groups, as well as engagement in climate and migration issues.
Thematic Session on Religions as a Factor of Sustainable World Development
Ambassador Aryn also co-moderated Breakout Session 2 on “Religions as a Factor of Sustainable World Development” together with Dr. Renee Hattar, Director of the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies in Jordan.
The session featured distinguished panelists:
•Dr. Nazir Mohamed Ayyad, Grand Mufti of Egypt and President of the Supreme Council of the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide;
•Ms. Zulfiya Suleimenova, Advisor to the President of Kazakhstan and Special Representative on International Environmental Cooperation;
•Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Nuaimi, Chairman of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue;
•Mr. Wade Cusack, Founder and CEO of Love Your Neighbor Community (USA);
•Mr. Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, Federal Minister of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony of Pakistan;
•Mr. Like Tiguhan Tagay Tadele, Secretary General of the Interreligious Council of Ethiopia;
•Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, General Secretary of the Executive Council of the Vietnamese Buddhist Sangha;
•Mr. Osvaldo Conde, writer, member of the Theosophical Society, and adherent of the Haqqani Naqshbandi Sufi Order (Brazil).
All speakers underlined the significance of holding such a dialogue in today’s world, where conflicts, social divisions, and environmental challenges threaten the stability of societies. They emphasized that the VIII Congress serves as a unique platform to unite spiritual wisdom with practical solutions for sustainable development. Across traditions – Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and other faiths – participants highlighted shared values of compassion, tolerance, and harmony as vital moral foundations for peace and justice.
The panelists stressed that religions must go beyond coexistence and engage actively in building partnerships with governments, civil society, and international organizations. They noted that religious leadership has a vital role in addressing global environmental challenges, that innovative partnerships can strengthen resilience in times of crisis, that sacred scriptures offer contemporary guidance on ethical living, and that faith institutions carry a growing responsibility in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, they drew attention to pressing issues such as the situation in Palestine, climate change, migration, food security, and ethical governance, underscoring that religions and sustainable development are closely intertwined and must be advanced together.
Closing of the Congress
The VIII Congress concluded with a renewed call for solidarity and dialogue, with its final declaration to be circulated as an official document of the United Nations General Assembly.
The IOFS Director General Amb. Berik Aryn reaffirmed the organization’s mission to connect interreligious dialogue with practical action in food security, sustainable development, and humanitarian cooperation, aligned with the vision of Kazakhstan as host country of the Congress.
