Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 18 /Trend, S.Suleymanov/
Educating tolerance and respect for the traditions and culture of other nations was the main topic of the meeting of the Chairman of Cordoba Initiative Company, U.S. Special Envoy for Dialogue with Muslim World, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf with the Secretary of State-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev on Monday in Astana.
At the meeting it was stressed that on the backdrop of the increasing role of Islam in the world, it is particularly important to show the commonality of basic moral values for all people, regardless of their nationality and religion, says a press release from the Foreign Ministry.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is on visit to Astana, where he attended the World Forum of Spiritual Culture.
In turn, K. Saudabayev noted that the Kazakh side welcomed the initiative of the U.S. President's Envoy in establishment of inter-faith and inter-ethnic dialogue on the global as well as on the national levels, "his cooperation with Kazakhstan concerning inter-religious dialogue in the context of Kazakhstan's forthcoming chairmanship in the Organization of Islamic Conference".
The parties discussed the prospects of development of the inter-religious dialogue, the role of spiritual leaders in ensuring international security. "In this view, I would like to emphasize the role of Kazakhstan which is going to chair the OIC in 2011 in strengthening cooperation between the Islamic world and West," the U.S. Special Envoy said.