Kazakhstan to Host Second Holy See Colloquium on Children’s Rights and Dignity

Kazakhstan will host the Second Kazakhstan, Holy See Joint Colloquium on the Protection of Children on October 2–3, bringing together government officials, religious leaders, international organizations and specialists to address the rights and dignity of vulnerable and incurably ill children.

The colloquium will take place at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astana, the capital of the Central Asian country. It is being organized by the International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue and the Holy See’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

The meeting will be co-chaired by the head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

Discussions will focus on the dignity and rights of vulnerable and incurably ill children, as well as moral and spiritual support for children and their families.

Participants will also examine how religious communities can work together to protect children and promote interfaith solidarity, alongside medical, scientific and institutional cooperation.

Another focus will be the ethical use of artificial intelligence in pediatrics, reflecting growing questions about how emerging technologies should be used in health care while protecting human dignity.

The program will include a presentation of the Charter on the Rights of Incurably Ill Children, which highlights the need to uphold the dignity and rights of children facing serious and incurable illnesses.

Kazakhstan will also present its humanitarian experience, including Operation Zhusan, as part of the exchange on protecting and supporting vulnerable children.

The colloquium reflects ongoing cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Holy See in promoting interreligious dialogue and humanitarian initiatives. The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, established in Kazakhstan, has provided a platform for representatives of different faith traditions to address common concerns.

The organizers said the colloquium would provide an opportunity for religious leaders, government representatives, medical specialists and other experts to share experiences and strengthen cooperation in safeguarding children and supporting their families.