The Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’ is widely represented by scholars, heads of major educational and analytical centres from their countries. As part of its activities, the Group cooperates with major scientific and educational institutions, such as ISESCO (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), IRCICA (Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture), the Bolgarian Islamic Academy and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Over the past few years of its existence, the Bolgarian Islamic Academy has turned into one of the largest centres of Islamic education in Russia, launched a new era of Islamic education and become the basis for the formation of a three-tiered system – madrasah – university – academy. The Academy’s development strategy comprises the elaboration of a unified approach to the conceptual issues of Islam in order to revive and develop the national scientific and theological heritage.
The Group of Strategic Vision traditionally organizes the International Summer School ‘Bolgarian Dialogue of Cultures’ in cooperation with the Academy. Participants of the International Summer School are young journalists, students of humanitarian faculties, specialists in the sphere of media communication, history and political science from Russia and post-Soviet countries. The theme of the event is different every year, but is aimed at intercultural interaction, interreligious dialogue, sharing of positive experience and exchange of views. Speakers are prominent Russian and international experts. To stimulate scientific and educational activity, there is an open essay competition for everyone, with prize money.
In addition, since 2017, the Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’ has annually held the International Forum of Writers and Intellectuals ‘Aitmatov Readings: Dialogue of Cultures’. The Group’s leadership has great respect for its history and cherishes the memory of its predecessors and all those who made a significant contribution to its formation and work. Since outstanding Soviet writer Chingiz Aitmatov was at the origin of the Group’s establishment and took an active part in its first sessions, it was decided to name the new annual forum after Chingiz Aitmatov, which was intended to enhance scientific and cultural cooperation among the Group’s member countries.
Over the past years, there have been international conferences in Bishkek (2017), Moscow (2018), Kazan (2019) and two international round tables in Istanbul and Ankara (held in cooperation with the Turkish Writers’ Union and the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) in 2018 and 2019 respectively). This forum has become one of the traditional venues of the Group of Strategic Vision to discuss topical issues on the contemporary scientific and cultural agenda.
The Group of Strategic Vision acts as a consolidating platform, guided by one of its main priorities – dissemination of the positive Russian experience of interethnic and interreligious harmony and cultural mutual enrichment.
In October 2020, the Chingiz Aitmatov International Forum of Writers and Intellectuals was organized for the first time by the Group of Strategic Vision with the support of the Permanent Mission of Russia to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. In the context of the coronavirus infection, the forum was held online.
As a result of fruitful discussion, the forum received a powerful impetus for its transformation into a popular platform for intellectuals, writers, scientific and public figures from Russia and Islamic countries, in the interests of effective analysis and monitoring of the factors determining the development of human civilization in its diversity. The idea of creating the White Steamboat intellectual club, based on the title of Chingiz Aitmatov’s famous work of the same name, was put forward.
Since science and education is one of the priority areas of the Strategic Vision Group’s activities, at the initiative of the Chairman of the Group R. N. Minnikhanov, an international award named after E.M. Primakov was established in 2016. Over the years, the prize has been awarded 4 times – in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
In 2016, it was awarded to V. Kalaajie, a Lebanese public and political activist and publicist. The award was given for a book in the Arabic language entitled ‘Eurasian Russia. The Time of President Putin’. The monograph became a bestseller on the Arab book market and was subsequently reprinted.
In 2017, the prize was awarded to S. Farakh, a scholar, Professor of Cultural Studies, Doctor of Philosophy, for his book in Arabic ‘Russian Civilization: Meaning and Destiny’. This monograph was selected by the publishing house as a nominee for the prestigious Sheikh Zayed Book Award of the United Arab Emirates.
In 2018, the prize was awarded for two books, ‘Crimson Sky of Baghdad’ (compiled by S.Posuvalyuk, edited by V. Kolotusha) and ‘From Lenin to Putin. Russia in the Near and Middle East’ (by A. Vasiliev).
The 2019 prize winner became V.Naumkin, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and scientific director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, for his work ‘A Failed Partnership. Soviet Diplomacy in Saudi Arabia between the World Wars’.
It is noteworthy that the Group of Strategic Vision is also actively involved in publishing. It prepares and publishes scientific and analytical literature, as well as the proceedings of the Group’s conferences and newsletters, among them: ‘Russian Islam’, by A.A. Alikberov, V.V. Bobrovnikov, N.A. Badranov, A.M. Stolyarov’s monograph ‘Islam, Russia, West’, A.V. Sarabyev’s monograph ‘Christians in the Middle East’, ‘Nasser’s Pyramid. President and his Time’ by A.G.Baklanov, ‘Islamic Thought against Extremism’, 2016, Collection of reports of the V International Forum of Journalists, St Petersburg, 2019, Collection of reports of the annual meeting of the Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’, Ufa, 2019, ‘Dialogue of Cultures’, Collection of reports and speeches of the international round table in Istanbul, 2018 (Russian – Turkish), Information review ‘The Russian Federation and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation: Results of the Prospects of Interaction’, 2020, Annual report of the Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’ for 2019, Annual report of the Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’ for 2020.
In addition to it, the following books have been translated: ‘Karim Khakimov. Chronicle of Life’ by O.B. Ozerov, ‘From Soul to Soul’ by M. Shaimiev, ‘Islamophobia. From Confrontation to Cooperation’ by E. Ehsanoglu.
An important event was the establishment of the ‘Petersburg Museum-Institute of Islamic Culture’ with the support of the Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’. As conceived by the organizers, this museum in St Petersburg should become one of the most important centres for scientific and cultural life of Muslim peoples of Russia, present the spiritual achievements and history of Russian Islam abroad and Russian civilization as whole, introduce the achievements of Islamic civilization to the residents of Russia, and become an important resource centre for profile universities in the country.
The museum’s scientific activities comprise consolidating the international and interregional character of research and development, including through the further enhancement of partnerships with leading foreign scientific and educational centres, museums and international organizations. As part of the task of establishing a broad partnership in the interaction of cultures and civilizations, the promotion of traditional moral ideals and cultural, and the spiritual heritage, the Group of Strategic Vision helps to develop business cooperation with such organizations as UNESCO and ISESCO and with the leadership of Muslim countries in the establishment of the new museum.
The mission of the museum is to present the Muslim civilization in all its diversity, covering its history and role as ‘a bridge’ between Hellenism and the Renaissance, as well as the interaction between Islam and conventional cultures of the Near, Middle and Far East, central Asia, the Caucasus, Africa and Europe, culture, art and traditions of Muslim peoples, the phenomenon of ‘Northern Islam’, the contribution of which to the treasury of Islamic culture is extremely interesting, but not well studied.
The impetus for the development of scientific and analytical work within the Group was given by the creation in 2020 of the Expert Advisory Board, which is now a permanent collegial body of the Group. The statute and composition of the Council were approved, comprising Russian and foreign representatives of the academic community. The Council is chaired by Vitaly Naumkin, Academician and Doctor of History, Head of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. As part of its activities, the Expert Advisory Board is intended to be an important analytical pole of the Group and to make a substantial contribution to the preparation of the content and most important events of the Group.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"