The US Department of State has recognized the endeavors of the coalition led by LYN Community in Kazakhstan in a recent report published yesterday.
https://www.state.gov/…/2022-report-on…/kazakhstan/
The report states, “Representatives of some religious organizations reported improved relations with government authorities compared to previous years, with fewer instances of harassment and more invitations for direct meetings with government authorities. In March and September, government officials participated alongside Christian and Muslim faith leaders in events to promote religious tolerance and provide skills for building partnerships across religious lines, organized in collaboration with domestic and international nonprofit organizations. Participants reported positive engagement with government representatives attending these events.” The events in March and April reference the CCRL and RROL courses hosted by LYNC for the government, law enforcement, religious communities, and civil society in Shymkent and Almaty in 2022.
The coalition, consisting of Chris Seiple, Templeton Religion Trust, International Center for Law and Religion Studies, IRF Secretariat, Institut Leimena, Caspian University has much to be proud of. It is due to their skill, resources, and dedication that LYNC has been able to make this significant stride.
A big thank you to the Kazakhstan government, the Committee on Religious Affairs, Назарбаев орталығы – Центр Назарбаева – Nazarbayev Center, and Embassy of Kazakhstan in Washington DC for continually supporting the work of LYNC – Love Your Neighbor Community.
While the recognition by the US State Department marks a significant milestone, there is an acknowledged necessity for a robust system to measure positive development. This will enable the collection and analysis of data to better understand the progress of efforts in building religious freedom.
LYNC’s team extends its heartfelt gratitude to the coalition mentioned above for the continuous dedication and hard work toward nourishing covenantal pluralism in Kazakhstan and beyond. The journey continues, and every step brings us closer to achieving the end state – positive, practical, non-relativistic pluralism.