Since the Hamas attack in Israel nearly two years ago, the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan has reacted like many other mainly Muslim countries. It condemned the attack. It rejected plans by Israel to displace Gaza’s Palestinians. It called for a ceasefire as well as unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. And it sent aid itself to relieve hunger.
But Kazakhstan has been doing something beyond moral declarations and moral actions – and not just for the Israel-Hamas war.
It has deployed what it calls “spiritual diplomacy” to help quell faith-driven conflicts at their roots – by reversing hatred with a recognition of the divine dignity in each person.
Located in the middle of Eurasia, Kazakhstan has been a crossroads for major faiths over centuries. Since 2003, it has hosted a conference every three years that brings together prominent world clergy, from the pope to respected Muslim imams. The next one starts in September.
These gatherings, called the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, elevate faith leaders as an alternative to political leaders in dealing with conflicts. “It’s critically important for spiritual leaders to weigh in and demonstrate through their example that dialogue and respect towards others must play a larger role in international relations,” Bulat Sarsenbayev, deputy head of the Congress Secretariat, told Asia Times.
“Spiritual leaders, who truly represent a culture of peace, are powerful voices in today’s world.”
Kazakhstan is not alone in promoting interfaith dialogue at a time of Israeli-Palestinian tensions. In early July, Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with a delegation of European imams, who prayed together for the Israeli hostages in Gaza.
In March, an interfaith march of Jews, Christians, and Muslims took place in Jerusalem. “Don’t let people tell you that there can be no peace and that Israelis and Palestinians are forever doomed to be hostile to each other,” German Ambassador Steffen Seibert told The Times of Israel during the peace walk.
Also in March, religious leaders representing Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and the Druze faith met in Jerusalem for an evening of dialogue.
“Perhaps it is time for people of faith to step forward. We can rise above crisis to say, ‘You are not my enemy, even if we deeply disagree,’” Rabbi Daniel Rowe told The Jewish Press.
“We must foster voices that recognize the divine image in one another and acknowledge that we all serve and pray to the same God.”
