Kazan has been selected as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2026, as announced by Tatarstan’s Rais, Rustam Minnikhanov, on his Telegram channel.
“Kazan is the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2026. This decision was made today in Jeddah by the Ministers of Culture of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries,” Minnikhanov wrote.
According to Tatarstan’s press service, the designation of the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World is determined annually at the OIC Ministers of Culture conference. The title for 2025 was awarded to Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The conference in Jeddah is held under the auspices of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO). One of its primary goals is to promote a true understanding of Islam and Islamic culture while encouraging dialogue among civilizations, cultures, and religions.
As of today, 54 states are members of ICESCO out of the 57 total members of the OIC. The Russian Federation has held observer status with the OIC since 2007.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Fendes/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS