Today the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a meeting of the leadership of the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia – Islamic World" and the ambassadors of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Marat Khusnullin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Rustam Minnikhanov, the Head of Tatarstan and Chairman of the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia – Islamic World."
In his opening remarks, Minnikhanov reminded the participants that meetings like this at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia have become a tradition. He expressed gratitude to Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs team for their support of this initiative and the work of the Group.
Minnikhanov also thanked both his international and Russian colleagues for their contributions to the activities of the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia – Islamic World."
He took the opportunity to congratulate everyone on the upcoming 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. "The significance of this event for each of us, our country, and the post-war world order as a whole cannot be overstated. In the face of attempts to distort history, the importance of preserving the memory of the Great Patriotic War is growing. It is precisely because of this that we can build the future with an understanding of the enduring need for strength of spirit, unity, brotherhood, and love for our homeland, as well as the importance of peace and good neighborliness," said Rustam Minnikhanov.
He emphasized that expanding cooperation with Muslim countries is one of the priorities of Russia's foreign policy. In the current international crisis, this cooperation takes on particular significance.
The "Russia – Islamic World" Group serves as an unifying international platform. Last year, the Group held over a dozen major events, focusing on global issues, inter-civilizational and interreligious dialogue, protecting traditional spiritual and family values, deepening humanitarian cooperation, developing youth ties, and improving information flows and communication.
According to the Head of Tatarstan, the Group's key events included meetings in Kazan (May) and Malaysia (December). He reminded the attendees that the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, participated in the Kuala Lumpur meeting. "We are grateful to His Excellency and all our Malaysian friends for their excellent organization and hospitality. We look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Malaysia at KazanForum and the Group meeting in May in Kazan. The work will continue this year as planned," said Minnikhanov.
Minnikhanov also highlighted the upcoming International Economic Forum "Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum," set for May. Last year, the forum was attended by over 20,000 participants from 87 countries and 87 regions of Russia, including leaders from more than 30 diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow.
"We are grateful to you, dear colleagues, for your contributions and joint efforts," said Rustam Minnikhanov, addressing the ambassadors of OIC member states. "A comprehensive business program for the upcoming forum has already been developed. The theme of the plenary session will be ‘Digitalization: New Reality and Opportunities for Expanding Cooperation.’ I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to attend KazanForum in May. We also count on your support in attracting high-level delegations from your countries and business circles. I’m sure this will bring valuable practical results."
On May 15–16, the annual meeting of the Group will take place, focusing on the theme "The Experience of Russia and the Islamic World in Youth Policy: Common Challenges and Joint Actions." "Today, about 70% of the population in the Islamic world is youth. It is our responsibility to instill in the younger generation a deep respect for their history and culture. Only in this way can we preserve our identity and the cultural diversity of the world. To this end, the upcoming meeting of the Strategic Vision Group ‘Russia – Islamic World’ will be dedicated to youth policy. International children and youth projects, based on friendship and shared values, eventually become the foundation for building a sustainable world," said Minnikhanov.
This work is supported by the All-Russian Movement of Children and Youth "Movement of the First," which is developing a network of diplomacy clubs in schools worldwide. Currently, over 300 schools in 24 countries are involved, with the most active participation coming from Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan. Young people get to know each other's cultures and traditions, practice languages, and make new friends around the world. The importance of this work is underscored by President Vladimir Putin’s decision to establish the International Association of Children's Organizations, aimed at uniting children's and youth organizations from different countries.
"I invite you to participate in the Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’ meeting in Kazan," Minnikhanov said to the ambassadors. "In the case of Tatarstan – one of Russia’s leading regions – you can see how Russia is expanding its interaction with the Islamic world: alongside establishing trade and economic contacts, we are successfully developing cultural and humanitarian ties. The Republic is one of the pilot regions for implementing the principles of Islamic banking and finance in Russia, and active work is underway to develop the halal industry. Great attention is also being paid to Islamic education."
Minnikhanov also reminded the audience that in 2022, Kazan was granted the status of Youth Capital of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Additionally, in February this year, the XIII Conference of Ministers of Culture of OIC Member States took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where it was unanimously decided to declare Kazan the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World in 2026.
"We are grateful to the leadership of ISESCO, the ministers of culture from Muslim countries, and all our international friends for awarding this honorary title to the capital of Tatarstan," Minnikhanov emphasized.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the Rais RT
Based on materials from the Press Service of the Rais RT