Memorandum of Cooperation was signed

On August 6, 2021, Bulat Sarsenbayev, Chairman of the Board of the Nazarbayev Centre for the Development of Interfaith and Inter-Civilization Dialogue, and Darkhan Bilyalov, Rector of Abai Kazakh National University, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.

The Memorandum aims to establish and develop cooperation in the research sphere, hold joint events, and open dialogue platforms and discussion platforms on the interaction of religions, cultures and civilizations.

Bulat Sarsenbayev, noting the importance of cooperation with leading international and domestic educational institutions, research institutes and experts, stressed that Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University is one of the largest centres of domestic science and culture, engaged not only in training of highly professional teachers, but also young scientists in different research areas. He also congratulated Darkhan Bilyalov on his assumption of the rector of the leading university of the country and reported on the implementation of a set of measures by N. Nazarbayev Center for the 30th anniversary of Independence of Kazakhstan, on preparations for the XIX Congress of the Secretariat in 2021 and the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in 2022.

The event was attended by Advisor to the Rector Zhanatbek Ishpekbayev and Vice Rector for Social Development Shyngys Nurlanov, who briefly spoke about the work being done among students to improve religious literacy and prevention of religious extremism.

During the meeting the special attention was given to the key purposes and tasks of N. Nazarbayev Center in promotion of the international initiatives of the First President of RK - Elbasy N. Nazarbayev, which are directed on searching of effective decisions in establishing the interfaith consent.

Taking into account common areas of work and priorities, the Centre and the University intend to cooperate in implementing joint projects, including the organization of international conferences, thematic exhibitions on the promotion of Kazakhstan`s unique model of interfaith and interethnic harmony at the international level. The parties agreed to make maximum efforts to develop academic cooperation - to organize professional practice and internships for undergraduate and graduate students on the basis of the Centre.