Bishkek, Oct. 26, 2021 / Kabar /. A presentation of the concept of state policy in the religious sphere for 2021-2026 was held in Bishkek today. The event was organized by the State Commission for Religious Affairs of Kyrgyzstan. The concept was developed by a working group consisting of representatives of government agencies, religious organizations, academic and civil society.
The event was attended by Secretary of State Suyunbek Kasmambetov, Director of the State Commission on Religious Affairs Toygonbai Abdykarov, Head of the OSCE Program Office, Ambassador Alexei Rogov, experts, human rights defenders, representatives of civil society and various faiths.
The purpose of the new draft concept is to improve the mechanisms of state-confessional cooperation to strengthen the secular foundations of the state and religious tolerance, to increase the effectiveness of state regulation of the activities of religious and public institutions.
In his speech, Secretary of State Suyunbek Kasmambetov noted that the Kyrgyz people lived for many centuries in a nomadic democracy, and at present democratic principles are being strengthened in independent Kyrgyzstan.
“The effectiveness of the Concept implementation will be determined by the creation of equal conditions for all confessions. No religion will be infringed upon - this is clearly spelled out in the Constitution,” said the state secretary.
Speaking to the participants, the head of the State Commission on Religious Affairs Toygonbai Abdykarov said that over the past five years, a lot of work has been done to implement the concept of state policy in the religious sphere for 2014-2020.
He said that in the course of implementing the tasks of the concept, over a thousand events were held. “We have achieved a lot through joint efforts. The support of religious organizations in the implementation of the objectives of the concept was high. Today, we have a new goal - over the next five years, to solve those problems in the religious sphere that we did not manage to realize,” said Toygonbai Abdykarov.
Meanwhile, head of the OSCE Program Office, Ambassador Alexei Rogov said that since 2018, the OSCE Program Office has been actively providing expert support for updating the concept along with other development partners, as well as in the implementation of an action plan for this concept.
“We welcome the fact that the Concept is based on a wide range of international standards and general principles of law in the area of freedom of religion or belief, as well as related human rights and fundamental freedoms. This is already the third concept adopted in the history of Kyrgyzstan,” he noted.
Then the participants discussed the main directions of the Concept implementation.
President Sadyr Zhaparov signed a decree "On the Concept of State Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Religious Sphere for the Period 2021-2026".
The decree was issued in order to ensure the unity of the people, intercultural and interreligious harmony, the development of state-confessional partnership, strengthening the secular foundations of the state and the implementation of the Law "On freedom of religion and religious organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic."
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