ASTANA, Kazakhstan — World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour completed a three-day official visit to Kazakhstan, from 9 to 11 September 2026, engaging local church leaders, participating in regional gatherings, and meeting with government officials to advocate for religious freedom and strengthen partnerships in Central Asia.
The visit began in Almaty, where Rev. Mansour attended the General Assembly of the Central Asia Evangelical Alliance. Delivering the keynote address, Rev. Mansour addressed two central biblical questions facing Christians living as a minority in the region: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3) and “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NIV).
Reflecting on the biblical accounts of Gideon and Jeremiah, Rev. Mansour reminded delegates that God remains present with His people even in challenging times. In addition to his address, he led a workshop on culture and presented a lecture on the global ministry and vision of the WEA.
Other commitments
During his time in Almaty, Rev. Mansour also participated in the Prayer Asia event, joining a podcast discussion on current challenges facing the global Church. On the opening evening, he shared a biblical message with approximately 300 participants, outlining a spiritual journey focused on five core pillars: discipleship, service, unity, witness, and glorifying God.
As part of the regional assembly, the Secretary General met with the Central Asia Evangelical Alliance Council and welcomed a delegation from the national Religious Affairs Office. During the meeting, Rev. Mansour presented the global posture of evangelical Christians, emphasizing that the biblical mandate is rooted in love for all people, while expressing the WEA’s expectation for full religious freedom to be implemented across Kazakhstan.
Rev. Mansour then traveled to the capital city of Astana for bilateral meetings with government authorities. Accompanied by a delegation that included Rev. Igor Tsay and Rev. Sergey Kan, he was received by the Acting Minister of Cultural Affairs, Mr. Rustum Ali, who welcomed the delegation and highlighted the government’s emphasis on interfaith harmony and peaceful dialogue.
Reflecting on the trip, Rev. Mansour expressed gratitude for the warmth and openness of both church leaders and state officials.
“It was a delight to have fellowship and worship with the Central Asia pastors at the conference in Almaty,” said Rev. Mansour. “With the grace of God, I attended several meetings with government officials to build relationships and advocate for the Church. I found them very open, and they already hold a good opinion of evangelicals due to the dedicated service the evangelical Church has been conducting in the land.”
The visit reaffirmed the WEA’s commitment to supporting national alliances across Central Asia while maintaining constructive, respectful engagement with governments to safeguard freedom of religion or belief for all.
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