The Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) hosted an iftar dinner for CICA Member States, Observer States and international Observer Organizations. The event was attended by heads of diplomatic missions of CICA Member States, Observer States, countries with predominantly Muslim populations, representatives of international organizations accredited in Astana.
Having congratulated the guests on the holy month of Ramadan, CICA Secretary General Kairat Sarybay stressed that the sacred ceremony of iftar, as an integral part of the fast, brings together and unites representatives of various religions and peoples at the same table. This wonderful tradition makes us remember one more time our common goal, our cause, which we serve all our lives - building, strengthening and maintaining peace, dialogue and mutual understanding between peoples.
Noting with regret that in the contemporary time the world is still faced with conflicts on ethnic, cultural, religious and racial grounds, the Secretary General expressed serious concern about clashes in holy places, attempts to translate conflicts into an interreligious plane, and restrictions on the rights of believers.
He stressed that all such problems should be solved exclusively by political and diplomatic means.
As a multilateral platform for dialogue and cooperation, uniting 28 Asian countries with diverse cultural backgrounds, CICA attaches great importance to ensuring peaceful and amicable relations among the different communities and nations across the Asian continent. Promotion of dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions is at the core of the CICA activities.
In his speech, Ambassador Sarybay also briefly described the plans for the upcoming events aimed at increasing the organization’s visibility. In particular, on 22 April, the Secretariat, together with the Sustainable Development Earth Foundation, will host an event on the beautification of the CICA Alley in Astana. An annual bicycle tour is planned to be held in early June at the picturesque resort area of Burabay. Moreover, at the end of July, a hiking tour through the mountains from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan will be organized. The programme of the tour includes visits to iconic sights of both countries, including lakes Kolsay and Issyk-Kul, Saka burial mound of Essik, Charyn Canyon, Keremet-Suu hot springs, etc.
In closing, Kairat Sarybay recalled that 2023 had been declared by the UN General Assembly the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, and called for a renewed joint commitment to dialogue and cooperation as a means to achieve universal and sustainable peace and development.
To read the full speech, please visit: https://www.s-cica.org/index.php?view=page&t=speeches&id=154
