By Devin Watkins
Religious leaders from around the globe have gathered in Astana, Kazakhstan, for the 8th Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, taking place on Sep 17-18, 2025.
Pope Leo XIV sent his greetings to participants with a message released on Wednesday that began with the greeting “peace” in several languages.
The Pope said the religious leaders have come together at a time marked by violent conflict to “renew friendships and forge new ones, united in our common desire to bring healing to our fractured and wounded world.”
Reflecting on the event’s theme “Dialogue of Religions: Synergy for the Future,” Pope Leo noted that every authentic religious impulse seeks to foster dialogue and cooperation, since they transcend borders and unite people everywhere.
“Working together in harmony is not merely a pragmatic choice, but a reflection of the deeper order of reality,” he said. “Solidarity, then, is synergy in action: the lived expression of loving our neighbor as ourselves on a global scale.”
Far from erasing differences, cooperation among religions invites the faithful to embrace diversity as a source of enrichment.
The Pope recalled that the Second Vatican Council upheld the Catholic Church’s acknowledgement and esteem for all that is “true and holy” in other religions, in its 1965 declaration Nostra Aetate.
“ seeks to foster authentic synergy by bringing the distinct gifts of each tradition to the table of encounter, where each faith contributes its unique wisdom and compassion in service of the common good,” he said.
The Pope recalled that his predecessor, Pope Francis, attended the previous Congress in Astana in Sep 2022, when religious leaders condemned violence and upheld the need to care for refugees and work for peace.
Pope Leo XIV called for leaders of all religions to commit to building a “future of peace, fraternity, and solidarity” by bearing witness to the truth that faith “unites more than it divides.”
“Synergy,” he said, “becomes a powerful sign of hope for all humanity, revealing that religion, at its core, is not a source of conflict but a wellspring of healing and reconciliation.”
In conclusion, the Pope expressed his hope that the interreligious congress will inspire believers to work for harmony and create a “synergy for peace,” which is “unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering.” – Vatican News
