Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug.6 / Trend, S.Suleymanov /
U.S. Special Representative to Muslim Communities, Farah Pandit has visited Kazakhstan, the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan said.
"U.S. Special Representative to Muslim Communities Farah Pandith visited Kazakhstan July 30 - August 4 to further President Obama's commitment to a new relationship with Muslims around the world based on mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual responsibility. ," said in the press release of the U.S. Embassy in Astana.
This goal closely coincides with one of the major priorities of Kazakhstan as the Chairman of OSCE, which is tolerance and non-discrimination among all religions and people of all faiths, said in the press release.
Ambassador Pandith visited the cities of Almaty, Shymkent, and Turkestan, where she met with religious officials, NGOs, students, scholars, and the media.
She also visited several cultural and historical sites, including Sayram, the central Mosque in Shymkent, and Hadja Akhmed Yassoui Mausaleum in Turkestan. In Shymkent Ambassador Pandith met with the representatives of NGOs, including the Youth Volunteer Leadership Center DOSTAR, Zhiger, Sana Sezim, Vera, and alumni of U.S. government exchanges programs. In Turkestan the U.S. Special Representative visited International Kazakh-Turkish University. In Almaty Farah Pandith held a roundtable with prominent Kazakhstani Russian and Kazakh language media outlets to discuss Islam in the United States, Central Asia and Kazakhstan, as well as issues of freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
Farah Pandith was appointed Special Representative to Muslim Communities in June 2009.