Korean Buddhist leader stresses importance of peace at interfaith gathering in Kazakhstan

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Korean Buddhist leader stresses importance of peace at interfaith gathering in Kazakhstan

Published: 09 Oct. 2024, 15:50

LIM JEONG-WON
lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr

World and traditional religious leaders, including Chairman of the Kazakh Senate Maulen Ashimbayev, center, and Moon Jong, Director of the Department of Missionary Research of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, back row third from right, pose for a photo after the 22nd meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana on Tuesday. [LIM JEONG-WON]

ASTANA, Kazakhstan — Religious practitioners in Korea need to unite to speak and act in the international community on issues such as the Israel-Hamas conflict, the war in Ukraine and other pressing matters, a Korean religious leader urged during a gathering of world religious leaders in Astana on Tuesday.

More than 30 religious leaders from 20 countries gathered in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, for the 22nd meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions on Tuesday. The secretariat meeting is a preparatory meeting before the plenary session of the 8th Congress is held in autumn 2025.

“With the international situation changing so quickly and tensions in the Middle East escalating day by day, I think it is absolutely necessary for religious people to gather together and listen to each country’s position and send out messages for peaceful solutions,” said Venerable Moon Jong, director of the Department of Missionary Research of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, after the secretariat meeting.

The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, first convened in September 2003 at the initiative of the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, is held in Astana every three years, except for the congress in 2021, which was postponed a year to 2022. It gathers leaders and prominent representatives from Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism and other traditional religions.

The congress broadly aims to find common human landmarks, both in the world and in traditional forms of religions, and to serve as a permanent international interfaith institution for religious dialogue.

Like Korea, Kazakhstan is a religiously diverse country. The Kazakh government guarantees freedom of religion and supports international efforts to promote interreligious dialogue and tolerance.

During Tuesday's secretariat meeting, chaired by Maulen Ashimbayev, chairman of the Senate, the upper house of the Kazakh Parliament, participants focused on the need for peaceful conflict resolution amid ongoing conflicts worldwide, especially in the Middle East.

Participants speak during the 22nd meeting of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana on Tuesday. [LIM JEONG-WON]

“Over the past few years, humanity has faced unprecedented challenges, and today, the world is in a situation where all current global challenges and threats are intertwined, interdependent and mutually reinforcing,” said Ashimbayev. “The situation in the Middle East is very difficult. We are all deeply concerned about the escalating tensions in the region. Our country calls on all parties involved to abandon the use of force in order to avoid civilian casualties and further deterioration of the situation.”

Moon Jong, participating in the secretariat meeting as a representative of Korea, echoed Ashimbayev’s remarks and added that Korea has a part to play in international efforts for peace.

“Korea is far from the Middle East geographically, but we import a lot of raw materials and oil from the region, and many workers from the Islamic Middle East come to Korea to work,” said Moon Jong. “Peace is always a fundamental prerequisite to have exchanges like this secretariat meeting. We have to make constant efforts and demands for peace. For Korea to be recognized in the international community, we must raise our voices and participate even further.”

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]