From 10 to 12 December 2025, the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Head of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Mr. Maulen Ashimbayev, conducted a working visit to the Vatican and the Sovereign Order of Malta.

The key event of the visit was an audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, during which the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan conveyed to the Pontiff an invitation from the Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to pay an Apostolic Visit to Kazakhstan at a convenient time.

As part of the visit, an International Round Table entitled “Kazakhstan’s Interfaith Initiatives and the Spiritual Leadership of the Holy See” was held. The event was jointly organized by the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, the International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue, and the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See.

During the discussions, it was noted that relations between Kazakhstan and the Holy See have reached a qualitatively new level and are developing along an upward trajectory. This progress has been made possible by high-level contacts, as well as by joint efforts within the framework of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, in which the Holy See has participated regularly and most actively since the establishment of this international forum in 2003.

Following the Round Table, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue and the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See.

During the working visit, Mr. Ashimbayev visited the leading research center of the Vatican Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, where he met with the hospital’s leadership and toured the molecular genetics laboratory.

Furthermore, the Chairman visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to pay his respects at the tomb of Pope Francis.

A separate segment of the visit was dedicated to the headquarters of the Sovereign Order of Malta. Meetings were held with the Grand Master, Fra’ John T. Dunlap, and the Grand Chancellor, Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo. The parties discussed prospects for cooperation within the framework of the Congress, as well as humanitarian initiatives in medicine and joint programmes in Central Asia. Following the negotiations, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the International Center for Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue and the Sovereign Order of Malta.

The visit of the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Mr. Maulen Ashimbayev, to the Vatican and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta reaffirmed the traditionally friendly relations between the parties and gave additional impetus to the further strengthening of multifaceted cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-vatican/press/news/details/1127497?lang=kk