UNESCO Chair for the Study of Culture and Religion
Aim
Strengthen the contribution of higher education institutions to education and research concerning the main cultural and religious principles of harmony and unity in a multi-ethnic and pluri-religious State; educate young people in a spirit of peace and tolerance, solidarity and intercultural and interfaith dialogue; ensure training of specialists able to exercise influence over the development of the cultural process in various aspects (social, religious, political, aesthetic); study the role and dynamics of cultural, spiritual and religious factors in the formation of the national identity of Kyrgyzstan; develop solutions to cultural conflicts and establish a basis for the formation of a tolerant democratic society.
History
The UNESCO Chair for the Study of Culture and Religion was established in 1999 at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, Kyrgyzstan.
IRD Activities
- Educational Activities
One part of the UNESCO Chairs activities is education in the field of religious studies. The Chair's goal is to educate young people in a spirit of peace and tolerance, solidarity and intercultural and interfaith dialogue and to ensure training of specialists able to exercise influence over the development of the cultural process in various aspects (social, religious, political, aesthetic)
- Participation in Conferences, Symposia and Seminars
The Chair actively participates in conferences, symposia and seminars on the topics of intercultural and interreligious dialogue. For instance, in May 2015 the Chair participated in the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue and the Academic Forum of UNESCO Chairs on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue in Baku.
Main Focus Countries of Activities
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan - Baku, Azerbaijan - Moscow, Russian Federation