The Regional Scientific and Practical Center for the Study of Interethnic and Interfaith Processes of S. Toraighyrov PSU held an extended meeting on countering the spreading of non-traditional religious movements’ ideology among young people. Prominent theologians from Aktobe also took part in this event through video conferencing.

The main purpose of the event was providing information regarding countermeasures against spreading of non-traditional religious movements' ideology among young people to deans' offices members and information groups at faculties, structural units and student associations, as well as explaining the basics of anti-terrorism legislation.

The event was attended by Z.O. Asanbayeva, Head of the Information Division of the Center for Analysis and Development of Interfaith Relations CSU, Zh.K. Bertymuratov, a theologian, Islamic scholar, and imam of the Ak Meshit mosque (Pavlodar), senior operations officer for major cases of the Anti-extremism division of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Pavlodar region, S.K. Kulzhibayev, chief specialist of the Department for the Social Situation Analysis and Monitoring at Yertis Media Holding LLP, N.D. Manapbayev, naib-imam of the Central Mosque named after M.Zh. Kopeyev, A.A. Abishev, editor-in-chief of the Saryarka Samaly regional newspaper, V.V. Dolgushev, editor-in-chief of the Zvezda Priirtyshya newspaper.

Sabdin Askar and Talgat Taldybayev, theologians from the Ansar center, Office for Religious Affairs of the Aktobe region, made online presentations entitled “The Quran and the Basics of the Hanafi Madhab Religious System at the Present Stage” and “Forms and Methods of Recruitment Used by Ideologues of Non-traditional Branches of Islam and Some Features of Working with Young People” respectively.

Zh.Sh. Slyamov, Acting Head of the Anti-Extremism Division of the Department of Internal Affairs of Pavlodar region, informed the participants of the event on the changes and additions to Kazakhstan’s legislative and regulatory framework regarding countering the ideology of religious extremism.

The report made by Nurzhamal Tyshkanova, Director of the Center for the Study of Interethnic and Interfaith Processes, was devoted to the outreach and awareness-raising work in the context of the tasks outlined in the State Program for Countering Religious Extremism and Terrorism in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2013-2017.

As a result, this event helped develop recommendations aimed at improving the work on countering the spreading of the religious extremism and terrorism ideology among young people and raising students' religious literacy.