The historic LYNC–Kazakhstan MOU and Multi-Faith Retreat have resulted in the continuation of strategic relationship-building with Kazakhstan’s highest-ranking religious and government leaders, as well as the strengthening of multi-faith relationships between Christians and Muslims.
Executive Summary
The July 14, 2021, Memorandum of Understanding signed by Wade Kusack, President of LYNC, and Yerzhan Nukezhanov, Chairman of the Committee for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Information and Social Development of Kazakhstan, signaled the Government of Kazakhstan’s deep commitment to continue an open approach to receiving and promoting trainings in religious literacy, multi-faith relations, and religious freedom roundtables—and to expand its influence as a regional leader in building religious freedom.
Following the signing, Kazakhstan welcomed LYNC and its partner Multi-Faith Neighbors Network (MFNN), despite extensive pandemic restrictions, and offered special entry permits to the delegation to host a historic gathering of imams and pastors from across the country, as well as CRA regional heads. The Head of the Almaty CRA regional office, Nurlan Kikimov, said:
“It is a genuine and very interesting approach in the building of multi-faith relationships. Our colleagues, who attended the event, keep talking about it. I hope you will continue what you started and will be able to integrate it into our local context all over the country.”
As a result of media coverage and internal governmental conversations, LYNC’s relational capacity—and its recognition as a partner in building religious freedom—has grown notably.
During Kusack’s September trip, he met with the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for International Cooperation, Ambassador Yerzhan Kazykhan. The Ambassador echoed the Government’s support of LYNC and highlighted an opportunity for ongoing and more expansive collaboration.
As a new partnership with the N. Nazarbayev Center (hereafter referred to as NN) is developing, Kusack is pursuing additional funding opportunities to build on the MOU and the current project funded by Templeton Religion Trust (TRT) to create ongoing local mechanisms for multi-faith engagement, religious literacy, and rule of law that operate top-down and bottom-up—ensuring the development of covenantal pluralism in Kazakhstan.
Inviting the International Community to Witness Kazakhstan’s Commitment to Building Religious Freedom: MOU Signing Between LYNC and the Government of Kazakhstan
As the first outcome of the TRT-funded project, “Developing Covenantal Pluralism in Modern Kazakhstani Society,” the LYNC–Kazakhstan MOU signing was a much-anticipated event in Kazakhstan, in the United States, and within the International Religious Freedom community.
Delays in hosting the MOU signing—originally scheduled for 2020—only served to spark greater interest in Kazakhstan’s developments, as well as enable greater media coverage (including interviews and features with Kusack in Christianity Today, Kazakhstani news, and others) of the July 14, 2021, signing at the IRF Summit in Washington, D.C.
Additionally, the signing solidified commitment at the highest levels of the Kazakh government, as reflected in Kusack’s meetings in September. Kazakhstani diplomats noted that Kusack’s meeting with the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for International Cooperation, Ambassador Yerzhan Kazykhan, reflects the highest level of trust LYNC has achieved within the Kazakhstani government. The Ambassador serves as the highest-ranking official on matters including religious freedom and advises the President on civil and religious matters affecting domestic and international relationships.
During the conversation, the Ambassador discussed his deep knowledge of LYNC’s trainings and its commitment.