UAE Participates In 8th Congress Of Leaders Of World, Traditional Religions In Astana

Umer Jamshaid Published September 17, 2025 | 07:00 PM

(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 17th Sep, 2025) ASTANA,17th September, 2025 (WAM) – Dr. Omar Habtoor Al Darei, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat, took part in the special session on protecting religious sites, held on the sidelines of the 8th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, currently hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan, under the theme “Dialogue of Religions: Synergy for a Better Future.”

Dr. Al Darei affirmed that the UAE’s efforts to safeguard places of worship for all religions, sects, and cultures — both inside the country and abroad — embody the values of peaceful coexistence and strengthen interfaith cooperation.

He noted that this approach, based on guaranteeing freedom of religious practice and preventing discrimination on the basis of religion, has been upheld by the UAE’s leadership since the era of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

On 2nd September, he noted, the UAE took part in the official opening ceremony for several cultural and heritage sites in Mosul, which were reconstructed with UAE funding in partnership with UNESCO and the European Union.

Since signing the agreement with Iraq and UNESCO to take part in the ‘Revive the Spirit of Mosul’ initiative, the UAE has remained committed to restoring the Great Mosque of Al-Nuri, its Al-Hadba Minaret, and the Al-Tahera and Al-Sa’aa churches.