On November 5, 2025, Farit Mukhametshin, Advisor to the Chairman of the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia–Islamic World”, took part in Arabist Day 2025 hosted by the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
The Financial University is one of Russia's oldest higher education institutions, training economists, financiers, mathematicians, political scientists, and other specialists.
Arabist Day was organized by the University's Faculty of International Economic Relations in partnership with the Al-Hadara Center for Arab Culture at Kazan Federal University. The event aims to support professional education, broaden cultural horizons, and facilitate knowledge exchange among students, educators, and professionals working in Arab studies, diplomacy, media, and international cooperation.
During the plenary session and panel discussion titled “Professional Realization of Arabists: Trends and Challenges of Our Time,” speakers included Farit Mukhametshin, Doctor of Political Sciences and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and Anna Belikova, Head of Protocol Events at RT TV Channel and Advisor to the GSV “Russia–Islamic World”.
Other participants in the plenary session included:
Mohammed Saleh Al-Ammari, Director of the Al-Hadara Center for Arab Culture and Associate Professor at Kazan Federal University;
Mohammed Al-Muallem, Deputy Head of the Arab League Mission in Moscow;
Marklen Konurbaev, Professor at Lomonosov Moscow State University and lead of several projects at the Financial University;
Artem Kapshuk, Journalist and Presenter at RT Arabic, among others.
The plenary session was moderated by Pavel Seleznev, Doctor of Political Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of International Economic Relations.
Farit Mukhametshin and Anna Belikova shared with students of Arabic the history of the GSV “Russia–Islamic World”, established on the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin. They highlighted the Group's first co-chairs – Yevgeny Primakov, an Arabist and globally recognized Russian statesman, and Mintimer Shaimiev, the first President of the Republic of Tatarstan. Mukhametshin noted that under the leadership of Rustam Minnikhanov, Rais of Tatarstan and Chairman of the Group, it has become a respected platform for international and intercultural dialogue, serving as a tool for inter-civilizational cooperation.
He emphasized that over two decades, the Group has strengthened bridges of trust between the Russian world and the Arab-Muslim civilization. Its plenary sessions and events address critical topics such as the protection of traditional values, the reinforcement of civil identity, and peace in an emerging multipolar world.
Students showed particular interest in the Group's international youth and student programs, including inter-university cooperation.
Mukhametshin encouraged students to participate in the Group's international events. He also highlighted that Kazan's designation as the Cultural Capital of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in 2026 reflects vast opportunities for expanding contacts, especially through public diplomacy, with a focus on enhancing comprehensive cooperation and interaction among youth and student organizations.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"