Pope Francis will travel to Kazakhstan in September, to participate in the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.

The Vatican announced on August 1 that Pope Francis would make the trip, to join in a conference dedicated to how religious leaders can help “the socio-spiritual development of humanity after the pandemic.” The Pope will travel to Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, from September 13 to 15.

The Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which takes place every three years, is an initiative begun by former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev , who said that he was inspired by the example set by Pope John Paul I in the 1986 World Day of Prayer at Assisi.