Vatican
The Head of State made his first official visit to the Holy See at the invitation of the Pope Francis.
At the beginning of the audience, the leader of Kazakhstan expressed gratitude to the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church for his tireless and dedicated efforts for the development of humanity around the world.
– Your prayer for peace instilled aspiration and new hope not only in the hearts and minds of thousands of Catholics, but of many our fellow citizens of other religions. Today, multiethnic and multiconfessional Kazakhstan which has been historically located at the crossroad of various civilizations is a proud home to the largest Catholic community in Central Asia, – said the President of Kazakhstan.
As Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted, followers of all faiths make a great contribution to building a Just Kazakhstan.
– We have managed to form our own model of peace and national dialogue, based on the principles of “unity-in-diversity”. People of various faiths have their places of worship in Kazakhstan. Fostering religious freedom is an integral part of my presidential agenda, – the Kazakh leader stressed.
Recalling Pope Francis' annual “State of the World” address, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed full solidarity with his words that "Peace is primarily a gift of God ... Yet it is also a great responsibility incumbent upon all of us".
– I totally agree with you. We should all come together as one, despite our differences, in order to preach and practice peace, facilitate an ongoing dialogue across cultures and religions, and to drive forward development for the benefit of people of all faiths. There is still time for goodwill, there is still room for negotiation, and there is still a place for the exercise of a wisdom, – the Head of State said.
In the context of bilateral relations, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan values its long-standing partnership with the Holy See, based on sincere friendship, harmony and mutual respect. In addition, there is an active political dialogue and consistent work on streamlining and expanding the legal framework.
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The President of Kazakhstan expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for his active personal endeavours and spiritual support to end conflicts and divisions ravaging the world today.
– Indeed, the current geopolitical turbulence undermines the entire global security architecture causing enormous human suffering and economic hardship. Kazakhstan as a responsible state makes a significant practical contribution to sustaining global peace and security. We participate in various UN peacekeeping missions in different hotspots, – the President Tokayev said.
In turn, the Pontiff thanked Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for his contribution to peace and harmony.
At the end of the audience, the Head of State thanked the Pope for an informative conversation and confirmed Kazakhstan's intention to continue to cooperate with the Holy See in promoting the ideas of tolerance, harmony and brotherhood.
