Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, will be at Astana, Kazakhstan from August 30 to September 4, in the framework of the “National Day” of the Holy See at the “Future Energy” specialized Expo 2017, stated a press release on the eve of his departure.
Since the opening of the Expo last June, the Vatican has had a pavilion entitled “Energy for the Common Good: Caring for Our Common Home,” in partnership with the local Church.
Cardinal Turkson, accompanied by the Apostolic Nuncio in the country, Monsignor Francis A. Chullikatt, will take part in an inter-religious conference on August 31. The event, organized by the Dicastery and the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, under the patronage of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Kazakhstan and other Kazak institutions, will include the participation of Muslims, Jews and members of different Christian denominations.
For the World Day of Prayer for Protection of Creation on September 1 at 11:00 am, a press conference will be held to announce the program of the National Day of the Holy See, as well as a project on the durable use of energy and social integration – in particular of orphaned and handicapped children – carried out by the Catholic Church in Kazakhstan.
The Vatican’s “National Day” is planned for September 2. Participating will be Cardinal Turkson, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kazak Senate, and Monsignor Tomasz B. Peta, Archbishop of the Most Holy Virgin Mary at Astana, who will read the Pope’s message for the Exposition. The “Soli Deo Gloria” Russian Choir will also take part in the ceremony.
Finally, on the following day, a conference will be held, co-organized by the Dicastery and the Nazarbayev University. The initiative, in which experts and academics will take part, has as its objective to further reflection on the use of energy in the near future.
Expo 2017 will close on September 10.
