On 23 July, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan hosted the XIV All-Russian Forum of Muslim Youth, dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria.
The opening ceremony was attended by Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan Kamil Hazrat Samigullin, Deputy Mufti for Education, Chairman of the Russian Islamic Education Council and Rector of the Russian Islamic Institute and Kazan Innovative University Rafik Hazrat Mukhametshin, Head of the Department for Cooperation with Public Organizations of Kazan Executive Committee Ilnur Shakirov, PhD in Economics, business coach at Ak Bars Bank Corporate University, soft skills development expert at Talent University, grant-writer at Chistopolsky Mukhtasibat Alfiya Zabbarova, Head of Social Development Department at the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan Aigul Biktimirova, representatives of youth organizations in Russia, as well as from near and far abroad.
At the opening ceremony of the forum, Kamil Hazrat Samigullin addressed the youth. He stressed the importance of one of the most valuable resources of mankind – time. Young people learnt from the spiritual leader about techniques and methods of time-management and motivations for effective use of time. As an example, the spiritual leader highlighted the biographies of prominent historical figures of the Tatar Muslim world, such as Gabdennasyr Kursavi and Imam Suyuti, who managed to write their outstanding theological works at the age of 21.
In his speech, Rafik Hazrat Mukhametshin urged the youth not to forget the pages of our history and preserve the spiritual and cultural heritage for future generations. “The fact of the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria must arouse interest in history,” Rafik Hazrat Mukhametshin said, emphasizing the need to preserve historical memory.
Alfiya Zabbarova noted that such a forum was a unique venue for Muslim youth to implement social projects. “The forum and projects are the things that are able to change everyone’s life,” she said and generously shared her many years of experience in the development of youth projects.
From 23-31 July, Bolgar hosts the 1100th Anniversary Forum in the format of a tent city. The Forum is attended by about 150 young boys and girls from foreign countries, such as Kazakhstan and Egypt, from Russian regions, such as Tatarstan, Moscow and Moscow Oblast, Orenburg, Yekaterinburg, Tobolsk and Cheboksary, Kemerovo, Penza and Chelyabinsk regions, Samara, Novosibirsk, Volgograd, Izhevsk, Perm, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Pervouralsk and others.
The Forum is organized by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan in cooperation with the Foundation for Support of Islamic Culture, Science and Education.
The Forum dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam consists of three blocks: historical, religious and project-based. The main objective of the Forum is to convey the values of history and culture of Volga Bulgaria through scientific and cognitive lectures on the history of Islam in the Volga region and Russia, as well as through excursions around the protected area of the Bulgar land.
The main aims of the Forum are to expand and deepen knowledge of the history of Islam in Russia and the Volga region; to create necessary conditions for personal, creative, spiritual and moral development of the youth; to preserve and strengthen health; to inculcate universal human culture and spiritual values through knowledge of new historical facts about the life of ancestors; and to engage in tourism, local history and other activities..
Speakers at the Forum include Sheikh Hamdellah Hafiz Ibrahim, Doctor of Pedagogic Science, Head of the Department of Education and Science at Al-Azhar University Alumni League, leading expert on Islamic law and doctrine (Cairo, Egypt); Anton Dyganov, Deputy Head of the Centre for Social Innovation of the Entrepreneurship Support Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan, expert of Resource Centre for Support, Head of the Innovative Development Department at the Kazan Federal University; Alfiya Zabbarova, PhD in Economics, business coach at Ak Bars Bank Corporate University, soft skills development coach at Talent University, grant-writer at Chistopolsky Mukhtasibat.
The Forum reflects the needs of youth society and offers cases and projects for solving specific problems, promotes the formation of youth communities and implementation of social projects. It is expected that the Forum will help to “package” social projects at different stages of their implementation: from an idea to a ready-made solution for participation in grant competitions.
The list of social projects submitted to the Forum is rather varied. They touch upon social, historical and cultural spheres.
Youth initiatives deal with topics related to education of a well-rounded personality of Muslims, organization of halal leisure for children; illumination of the values of Islam through a historical worldview, organization of prayer rooms at universities and schools in the capital. A significant part of social projects is dedicated to the history of native people and language, study of the fundamentals of the religion and literary Arabic in order to learn the Holy Quran. There are also developments relating to the teaching of financial literacy in accordance with the Islamic values and development of volunteerism among young people.
The Forum’s program includes scientific and educational lectures by world-renowned Sheikhs and teachers, trainings, workshops, TEDs and debates, film watching, hikes and excursions.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan