Institute for Global Engagement
Bishkek, Feb 2014
With the eminently quotable and dear friend Pastor Gennadyj Khonin, of Almaty's Evangelical-Lutheran community...at yesterday's conference discussions about citizenship and identity in Central Asia, we inevitably talked about the cultural-religious phenomenon: "To be Kyrgyzi/Uzbek/Kazakh is to be Muslim." Gennadyj responded publicly by noting that "if I am born in a garage, that doesn't make me a car." Everyone loved it. We also discussed how Buddhists and Christians were in Central Asia before the arrival of Islam. Building mutual respect and mutual reliance takes time, through trusted folks. Gennadyj has attended all 3 of our religion, security and citizenship conferences in the past year, and he also spoke at our 5 February Capitol Hill Briefing on religious freedom in Eurasia. He is trusted by all parties, because he knows how to speak to all parties in language and logic that they understand. He knows how to love them.
Bishkek, Feb 2014
With the eminently quotable and dear friend Pastor Gennadyj Khonin, of Almaty's Evangelical-Lutheran community...at yesterday's conference discussions about citizenship and identity in Central Asia, we inevitably talked about the cultural-religious phenomenon: "To be Kyrgyzi/Uzbek/Kazakh is to be Muslim." Gennadyj responded publicly by noting that "if I am born in a garage, that doesn't make me a car." Everyone loved it. We also discussed how Buddhists and Christians were in Central Asia before the arrival of Islam. Building mutual respect and mutual reliance takes time, through trusted folks. Gennadyj has attended all 3 of our religion, security and citizenship conferences in the past year, and he also spoke at our 5 February Capitol Hill Briefing on religious freedom in Eurasia. He is trusted by all parties, because he knows how to speak to all parties in language and logic that they understand. He knows how to love them.