Executive Summary
From April 7 to 14, 2024, 30 pastors, imams, and government representatives from Uzbekistan (11) and Kazakhstan (19) participated in a train-the-trainer program in multi-faith engagement. This program, organized by LYNC, funded by Templeton Religion Trust (TRT), and working in partnership with the other TRT grantees, the IRF Secretariat, and the Multi-Faith Neighbors’ Network (MFNN), built capacity in the competencies and skills of engaging government and religious leaders. The program took place in Washington, D.C., and Phoenix, Arizona.1
LYNC’s team is deeply appreciative of the key support from the U.S. embassies in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, particularly Ambassadors Rosenblum and Henick, who played a crucial role in backing the group’s travel. We are also grateful to Ambassador Rashad Hussain and his team, who supported the roundtable in Washington, D.C., where both delegations were able to deliver their reports.
While in Washington, D.C., the Central Asian delegation, representing their respective countries, attended the IRF Roundtable in the Senate Office Building, visited places of worship, and engaged in comprehensive training on how to set up and run a roundtable discussion and host multi-faith retreats. These experiences broke down stereotypes and allowed them to see America without the Russian and Chinese propaganda that permeates Central Asia, fostering trust and understanding.
The event facilitated significant networking, encouraging positive competition between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to implement the concepts they discussed, such as:
- Cooperative Engagement and the Builders Approach
- The International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable Model
- Religion and the Rule of Law
- Multi-Faith Roundtable Establishment
- Engaging and Partnering with the Government
- Opportunities and Challenges for Multi-Faith Collaboration
- Building Resilient Communities
- Writing and Presenting a Peace Sermon
Since their return to their respective countries, the following near-term steps have been taken:
- Train-the-Trainers alumni are working on establishing the Kazakhstani IRF Secretariat
- Organized initial roundtables in Almaty and Shymkent
- Planning additional roundtables in six cities
- Preparing for a multi-faith retreat in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan scheduled for October 2024
Our hope is that these steps help enable the IRF Secretariat office in Kazakhstan and sustain multi-faith relationship-building teams, which will ensure long-term sustainability for the Covenantal Pluralism Initiative (CPI) development in 2025 and beyond, as well as a new MOU between Uzbekistan and LYNC (to be signed at the Berlin IRFBA Ministerial), and the May 2025 “Dialogue of Declarations,” which LYNC is facilitating on behalf of Uzbek and American partners.2
The collaboration between LYNC, the IRF Secretariat, and MFNN demonstrated effective strategic synergies that simultaneously deepen and expand the public square, build social cohesion through inclusion, create opportunities for partnership, and deter extremism.
LYNC has implemented a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) plan to enhance the effectiveness of its programs and track progress in developing pluralistic virtues and religious freedom in Central Asia. The plan includes anonymous pre-event and post-event surveys to gather participant feedback, to ensure transparency and address concerns.
Strategic Geopolitical and Cultural Outcomes
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have positioned themselves as valuable allies to the West in the region, strategically navigating their roles within the post-Soviet/Russian/colonial space. While the West remains a major investor, both countries’ trade with Russia has reached record levels, and significant energy and economic interdependence persist. Nevertheless, there is active and genuine engagement of the United States and its fellow NATO countries, as both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan know that steady progress in their reforms is best for their citizens. Accordingly, Tokayev and Mirziyoyev continue to manage these relationships carefully to maintain their strategic positioning.
Considering these factors, LYNC and its partners’ coalition continues to build the local capacity to promote social cohesion, religious freedom, and economic cooperation in a strategically important region, offering international institutions a unique and helpful opportunity to sustain and enhance their engagement.
Train-the-Trainers was a significant milestone in these efforts and serves as a practical implementation of the Covenantal Pluralism Initiative (CPI).3 The training included lectures, Q&A, case studies, mock roundtables and mock retreats, as well as cross-sectoral and cross-cultural interactions. As such, it also provided an opportunity for regional leadership to learn how to initiate multi-faith, multi-sectoral relationship-building retreats and cooperation among religious leaders and government officials in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
It was significant that both the Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan delegations were invited to the U.S. and took part in the IRF Roundtable held in the Senate Office Building together, on an equal footing. They had the opportunity to visit places of worship for minority religions, interact with first-hand witnesses of multi-faith cooperation and mutual protection, and engage in comprehensive and multi-dimensional training sessions. These experiences profoundly impacted and built trust among the participants, which will, and currently will, have a lasting effect in both countries. The Grand Canyon provided the delegations with a glimpse of authentic America, free from the stereotypes they often encounter in their home countries. Rev. Oleg Vorojtsov concluded on the last day of the event: “It’s better to see once than hear a hundred times. It’s hard to understand what life is like in the United States from such a great distance as where we live.”
Washington, D.C.
LYNC and the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Secretariat team facilitated an intense three-day training for the participants, starting at 6 a.m. in the hotel conference room and extending to various engagements throughout Washington, D.C. The IRF Secretariat organized an in-person roundtable at the Dirksen Senate Office Building as a significant part of their training. This session not only introduced them to the IRF Roundtable model but also allowed them to present their own reports on the state of religious freedom and social cohesion within their respective countries. The reports from both delegations were surprisingly deep and honest, without attempts to whitewash existing shortcomings in religious freedom. The delegation nominated Bishop Ivan Kryukov, who leads the New Life church, which suffered persecution by the government in the recent past, to speak on behalf of Kazakhstani Christians.
Some of the delegates emphasized the real positive developments in both countries’ religious life and called for strategic cooperation to address areas needing improvement. The Vice-Chair for the Committee for Religious Affairs of Kazakhstan, Mr. Anuar Khotiev, concluded: “I want to emphasize that while I provide information about positive developments in Kazakhstan’s religious life, it doesn’t mean that we don’t face any issues or problems in this area. We are doing our best and sincerely appreciate any help in addressing the current issues. Organizations like LYNC are welcomed in our country for their honest work and effective approach.”
It was a great opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss a common strategy for advancing religious freedom in both countries, especially since officials from the US State Department and USCIRF were present. We were also honored that the State Department Office of International Religious Freedom invited some of the Kazakhstani delegates to the State Department for the bilateral Working Group meeting.
This intense and comprehensive experience significantly deepened the delegation’s understanding of multi-faith collaboration and advocacy efforts as practiced on Capitol Hill, enabling them to immerse themselves fully in international religious dialogue and cooperation dynamics.
In addition to the structured discussions, the participants visited various places of worship, including the Church of Scientology, Seventh-day Adventist headquarters, and the Muslim Adams Center in Virginia. These visits were crucial in helping them understand the legitimacy and operation of these minority groups, enhancing their perspective on religious diversity and freedom.
The primary focus of the Washington, D.C., training segment was to impart expert knowledge and facilitate the application of concepts learned and observed within the participants’ cultural and contextual frameworks. At the conclusion of the training, the participants formulated specific plans on how to establish and conduct their own roundtable discussions in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, applying the insights and models they had learned during their U.S. visit.
Both the Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan embassies hosted our delegation for celebratory dinners on separate days to honor our cooperation. During these dinners, Ambassador Ashikbayev of Kazakhstan and Ambassador Siddikov of Uzbekistan expressed their countries’ high level of interest in continuing collaboration with LYNC to advance religious freedom and social cohesion.
Multi-Faith Clergy Relationship-Building
In Arizona, the training focus shifted to the practical aspects of organizing and leading multi-faith retreats, expertly facilitated by the Multi-Fiaith Neighbors Netwerk (MFNN) team. This phase was particularly enriching, as participants not only learned about but also actively applied tools and mechanisms for building multi-faith relationships. They received training to become facilitators themselves, concentrating on cultivating trust, enhancing listening skills, and addressing perceptions in an environment characterized by openness and mutual respect.
The participants’ experiences outside of the conference room greatly complemented the theoretical part.
They were able to participate in the Friday prayer at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe, led by Imam Omar Tawil, and learn about the life and freedom of American Muslims firsthand. Imam Tawil’s sermon was shocking, particularly to government delegates, who described it as an “absolutely extreme” speech. They questioned why the imam, in reference to U.S. policies in the Middle East, did not face arrest. This incident serves as a great example of how extremism differs from freedom of speech.
The Islamic Community Center of Phoenix provided a practical example of how the religious majority can protect a minority group. A group of bikers, some of whom were heavily armed, came to the center to protest Islam in 2015 in response to a recent attack in Texas, where two armed terrorists with ties to ISIS attempted Jihad.4 The local pastor called on a group of Christians to surround the mosque and protect Muslims who had come for Friday prayer. We discussed whether the Muslim majority in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan is willing and ready to protect religious minority groups in their countries.
In an interview on the last day of the event, Kazakhstan’s Grand Mufti Advisor Bijigit Qoshiev said: “Muslims need Christians, and Christians need Muslims. I came to the conclusion that it is time to move from inter-religious tolerance to multi-faith collaboration. What could this collaboration look like? First of all, it is the work of imams to oppose Christianophobia and of Christian clergies to oppose Islamophobia. It is relevant to both our countries.”
The delegation, especially the Muslim participants, was positively surprised by another cultural experience at the large evangelical Mountain Park Church. The delegation witnessed a baptism at the large baptistery on the church’s stage, as well as a contemporary music worship session. The church leadership welcomed the delegation and provided a short tour, explaining the style of worship and the structure of the service. The non-evangelical delegates attended that type of Christian church for the first time.
The visit to the Grand Canyon was the emotional highlight of the trip. The magnificent view provided a solid backdrop for emotional openness and deeper connections. “It is definitely a summary of the trip,” exclaimed one of the participants. “The whole week, we were learning about something much greater than we have seen before.” We spent about five hours touring the South Rim of the Canyon while people laughed, hugged each other, and took unforgettable pictures.
Practical Follow-Up Activities
Following Train-the-Trainers, the establishment of the Kazakhstani IRF Secretariat is a crucial step forward. This initiative will provide a leadership structure to coordinate efforts between government entities, religious communities, and civil society organizations.
The first roundtables exemplified the practical application of the training insights in Kazakhstan, took place in early July 2024, and aimed to foster religious freedom and social cohesion.
Nurlan Kikimov, the head of the Department for Religious Affairs, organized the roundtable in Almaty in July 2024 as part of the government’s multi-faith club initiative. Rev. Arman Arenbayev, a Train-the-Trainers alumni, co-hosted the event. The head of the Almaty Muslim community, Ospan Tolebi Dadiluly, also participated. He has been a longtime friend of Wade Kusack since their meeting at roundtables in Aktobe in 2019, where Imam Ospan was the region’s chief imam.
During the roundtable, Wade presented the LYNC’s model, and the participants discussed the current state of religious life in Almaty.
Greg Mitchell and Wade Kusack, along with Arman Arenbayev and Imam Nazirkhan Tashkhodjaev, who are alumni of the Train-the-Trainers program, organized and co-hosted a roundtable in Shymkent. Greg and Wade presented the LYNC model, while Arman and Nazirkhan explained its effectiveness and impact, encouraging the participants to continue meeting regularly.
Arman and Nazirkhan are planning to visit an additional six cities from the LYNC’s list of roundtable networks and organize/co-host the multi-faith clubs there.
LYNC and MFNN are planning to support the first-of-its-kind multi-faith retreat in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The retreat will be organized and hosted by the local trainers, who are alumni of the Train-the-Trainer program, and will take place from October 21–24, 2024. Micah Fries (MFNN) and Wade Kusack have already begun the preparation process and hold monthly consultations for the local teams.
Research
The integration of a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) plan into the LYNC activities aims to ensure the effectiveness of the events, the successful design of the curriculum or meeting agenda, track the progress of mind change and the development of pluralistic virtues in the countries of Central Asia, maintain transparency and accountability, and foster continuous learning and adaptation.
In March 2024, LYNC developed the MEAL plan for upcoming activities, with a focus on Train-the-Trainers.
The pre-event and post-event surveys that LYNC conducted anonymously are part of our MEAL plan, allowing participants to express their expectations before the training and their impressions after the training, including any concerns, comments, and recommendations. To ensure a more accurate assessment, the LYNC staff verified the responses received from the written surveys by conducting personal, informal communication with event participants, including government officials and religious leaders.
The training surveys showed that most participants are eager to know more about the practical issues of organizing multi-faith roundtables and dialogue platforms. They recommended a detailed consideration of potential risks and dangers, the identification of potential funding sources, and an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of existing IRF Roundtable models. Furthermore, the majority of participants were interested in learning more about the United States’ experience in ensuring religious freedom, engaging with Muslim communities, and preventing radicalization of religious communities and extremism. The Muslim delegates were interested in studying the religious situation in the United States, visiting religious buildings of various denominations, and personally praying in a country where they are perceived as a religious minority (although in their own countries, they belong to the Muslim religious majority), and experiencing religious freedom and the absence of strict state control over religious activities.
LYNC’s Senior Researcher, Dr. Max Vasin, is leading the development of positive metrics to measure religious freedom. We will integrate these positive indexes and metrics into our Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) plan upon completion and piloting in Kazakhstan. This integration aims to provide a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of shifts in mindset, pluralism development, and trends in church-state and multi-faith relations across Central Asia. By incorporating these metrics into our MEAL plan, LYNC will be able to systematically evaluate the progress in building religious freedom and fostering covenantal pluralism on a global scale, ensuring consistent and periodic reviews.
Conclusion
Despite the complexities involved, the described developments in Central Asia demonstrate the emergence of a new religious life structure that has the potential to influence the entire former Soviet space. This structure is rooted in Covenantal Pluralism. Central Asia’s history has evolved through successive religious majorities in the region, beginning with Zoroastrianism and Shamanism, followed by Mongol Empire Buddhism, the spread of Nestorian Christianity, and the eventual dominance of Islam. The powerful Jadids5 movement, which sought to enlighten Islam within the Russian Empire, was a significant force for progress but was tragically suppressed by the Bolsheviks. Since the 1917 Bolshevik revolution, the religious landscape across the Soviet Union’s territory was almost entirely dismantled. The collapse of the Soviet Union did not immediately prompt the restoration of society’s religious fabric, although some religious groups did experience a revival that primarily advanced specific doctrines without significantly contributing to the broader development in the countries that emerged from the Soviet Union.
The emergence of this new religious structure in Central Asia is characterized by a revival of pluralistic traditions and a reawakening of multi-faith interactions. The region’s history of diverse religious influences provides a unique foundation for developing a more inclusive and pluralistic society. The efforts of various religious and government leaders, supported by international organizations like LYNC, are fostering an environment where religious freedom and social cohesion can flourish. This resurgence of multi-faith, multi-sectoral religious life, underpinned by a rich history of pluralism, has the potential to not only transform Central Asia but also serve as a model for other regions within the former Soviet space. As this new structure takes shape, it promises to promote a culture of mutual respect and understanding, contributing to regional stability and peace.
