Almaty, Kazakhstan - The Kazakhstan meeting of the Global Peace Tour 2009 took place on March 11. Professors, Ambassadors for Peace, NGO activists, and UPF volunteers gathered at the Kazakhstan Peace Embassy for a round-table discussion on “Peace and Human Development in the Nation.”

Konstantin Krylov, UPF-Eurasia Assistant Secretary General, read the keynote message calling upon peace organizations in Kazakhstan to join the movement to promote international cooperation and unity among religions and ethnic groups. He also made a presentation about the current peace initiatives of UPF in Eurasia, such as at the Bering Strait and in the South Caucasus, and the projects of UN reform and character education.

Prof. Artur Artemyev, a famous scholar on religions in Kazakhstan and the leading UPF Ambassador for Peace, made a presentation about the prospects of developing the UPF peace movement in the nation, particularly in light of current government policies threatening religious freedom and the tightening control of minority religions.  

The meeting was filled with the spirit of internationalism. The participants stressed the need for improving further collaboration with the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe and the United Nations, whose work in Kazakhstan is rapidly developing.

For the keynote address and more information about the peace tour, click here.