Volunteerism during the COVID-19 pandemic, history of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, information support of activities of national and cultural associations, dialogue of cultures in today’s conditions, role and peculiarities of inter-confessional dialogue in peace building, preservation of historical memory as an effective way to prevent extremism – this is a small part of the issues, widely discussed at the ‘Russia – Azerbaijan: Historical Experience of Interethnic and Interfaith Harmony’ conference, which was held on 23-24 April in Kazan. The conference was attended by historians, political scholars, Islamic scholars, philologists, public representatives, religious figures, volunteers, journalists and ethnologists.
Kazan is the Centre of Russia’s intellectual Life
As Ramil Khairutdinov, Director of the Institute of International Relations of Kazan Federal University, noted, such events are the start of a new initiative, which would make it possible to unite the efforts of the expert community and the general public to discuss the brightest and the most significant issues on the global agenda. ‘Today we are speaking about the old traditions, the history of relations between our peoples. Within the course of discussions, we must develop a further course of action in the new world, which will emphasize our kinship, the commonality of worldviews’, Khairutdinov highlighted. ‘I am convinced that the relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are not just a cultural and historical aspect, but also the question of fate of the Eurasian space and the commonality of our states’.
It is not surprising that Kazan was chosen as the venue for such discussions, as Anna Belikova, Chief Specialist of the External Communications Service of the Russia Today TV Channel and Media Relations Advisor of the Strategic Vision Group ‘Russia – Islamic World’, noted. ‘Today’s Kazan is the very place where the heart and intellectual power of our country pulsate. Here we constantly witness dialogue and harmony in its literal sense – in architectural, human and cultural terms’, the expert is convinced.
Dmitry Tayursky, Vice-Rector for Educational Activities of Kazan Federal University, also spoke about the importance of transmitting historical memory to descendants. According to him, it is necessary to actively use modern technological means and multiple ways of presenting information in this process. ‘Let us teach and educate our young generation the way it is necessary in today’s conditions. I hope that as a result of the conference we will be able to create a so-called international dialogue platform, designed to consolidate our society’, Tayursky concluded. After all, it is the dialogue of civilizations that is the basis for the well-being of our world and the pledge of mutual understanding, which should lead to further successful cooperation between the two countries – Russia and Azerbaijan.
Tatarstan is a Region of High Culture and Interethnic Communication
‘Tatarstan is an indigenous region of high culture and interethnic communication because the issue of preservation and consolidation of interethnic peace and harmony is the key one for the authorities and citizens of the republic’, Victoria Dautova, Head of Interregional and Interethnic Cooperation and Exhibition Activities Department of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, noted in her speech. ‘Representatives of 173 nationalities live here. Our people are bound by deep historical traditions of mutual assistance and friendship’.
According to statistics cited by Dautova, there are about 10 000 Azerbaijanis living in Tatarstan. ‘This year has been declared as the Year of Native Languages and National Unity, which allows us to mainstream issues related to the development of national identity and culture of the nation. Only through active joint activities can the friendship of the peoples be preserved’.
Andrei Bolshakov, Chair of the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies, Institute of Social and Philosophical Sciences and Mass Communications of Kazan Federal University, is convinced that peoples of the two countries are ethnically related. ‘Azerbaijan and Russia are secular states with a significant number of Muslims. We have common history and traditions. Azerbaijan is a key state in the South Caucasus, while Russia is the most powerful state in the CIS. Tatarstan is one of the most advanced subjects of the Russian Federation. This is why our republic is that platform which is necessary for cooperation between the two states. Cultural, humanitarian and historical interaction is as important as economical or political one’, the speaker concluded.
Archpriest Alexei Kolcherin, First Vice-Rector and Head of the Department of General and Church History at Kazan Orthodox Theological Seminary, agreed with his view. He stressed that the ability to hear and understand each other, treat each other with kindness characterizes the peoples of the two countries. ‘Rich culture, traditions of interaction, ability to hear and understand each other, great experience of close neighborhood – that is what should unite us all’, Kolcherin is convinced.
During his speech, he also highlighted that religion had a special significance in life, since faith is the foundation of society, of human life. ‘It is important to preserve these traditions, because they help to preserve the heritage of their people, their identity. Manifestation of extremism in a religious sphere testifies not to faith, but to faithlessness of such people. After all, representatives of traditional confessions are always willing to maintain the dialogue and they can even act as mediators in difficult situations’, Archpriest Kolcherin concluded.
The Acceptance of Islam by Volga Bulgars Became a Model of Interreligious Peace and Harmony
The year 2022 will mark the 1100th anniversary of the acceptance of Islam by the Volga Bulgars. The celebrations will take place at the international level with the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ilfar Hazrat Khasanov noted, speaking at the international conference during the Role and Peculiarities of Inter-Confessional Dialogue in Building Peace round table discussions.
According to the First Deputy Mufti of the Republic of Tatarstan, the fact that such an important date receives special attention is a farsighted and wise confessional policy of the country’s leadership and the steadfastness of relations between representatives of different nations and religions, for whom Russia is one home. ‘The event that took place in 922 is epochal not only for the Tatars, but also for entire multinational Russia. This is due to the fact that the acceptance of Islam was voluntary and became a so-called model of interreligious peace and harmony. It is this historic mission that our homeland bears today. And, as we can see, this noble mission symbolically originates from the moment of the acceptance of Islam by Volga Bulgaria’, Khasanov stressed.
The speaker assured his colleagues that it was thanks to the centuries-old cultural heritage that Russia was an integral part of the Islamic world. For the Tatars, the year of the acceptance of Islam by Volga Bulgaria is of special significance, Ilfar Hazrat is convinced. After all, it is reliably known that with the advent of Islam, the ancestors of the Tatars managed to overcome contradictions between different tribes, expand diplomatic ties, consolidate economy and develop spiritual culture. ‘This was the main choice in the destiny of the entire people that came to know special mercy of the Almighty. Islam brought us not only high spiritual culture, but also traditions of enlightenment and profound morality based on the words of the Almighty. It was Islam that gave the Tatars strength and opportunities to remain as a nation during the most difficult times. And to this day we have been standing on the stronghold of this unshakable foundation’, Ilfar Hazrat Khasanov added.
At the end of his speech, Hazrat highlighted that Russia was strong with people, nations that honored traditions of unity and brotherhood, respecting spiritual values of each other.
Volunteering is a Way to Bring Nations and Peoples Together
The topic of social service to society drew special attention of the conference participants. Yardam Charity Foundation President Ilgam Ismagilov spoke about this in more detail. In his speech he focused on peculiarities of volunteering during the pandemic, using the Road of Life campaign of the Yardam Foundation as an example.
In particular, he noted that the tool of volunteering could act as an effective alternative to preventing the involvement of both the youth and people of more conscious age into the ranks of various destructive communities. And this, in its turn, requires a more systematic coordinated approach and closer interaction between executive authorities, business structures, law enforcement agencies, etc.
‘Active involvement of civil society in planning and implementation of strategic objectives in social sphere has very significant and constructive potential. Firstly, taking into account the views of as many participants in public relations as possible helps to make the most fruitful decisions. Secondly, the space of public dialogue implies the ground for constructive activities of civil activists, as opposed to their involvement in protest and opposition movements and groups’, Ilgam Ismagilov said.
The Yardam Foundation is famous far beyond the borders of the Republic of Tatarstan. ‘The foundation is famous both outside Russia and in the CIS countries. This is another confirmation of the foundation’s open attitude towards all guests and people in need’, Anna Belikova supported her colleague.
Mass Media and Interethnic Harmony
In his turn, Azer Mammadov, Vice-President of FNCA AzerRos, Candidate of Legal Sciences, stressed the need to cherish and consolidate Russian-Azerbaijani relations and treat them with utmost care.
The speaker drew the conference participants’ attention to the attempts by partisan media to share public opinion in the direction required by certain political forces, which at times runs counter to Russia’s state policy and its interests. In the speaker’s opinion, Russian media currently lacks competent, unconventional analytical programs devoted to a balanced assessment of what is happening both in the country and beyond its borders.
‘Russian President Vladimir Putin, who played a huge role in de-escalation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, which led to restoration of Azerbaijani territorial integrity on the basis of international law, says one thing, while a number of mass media through TV screens and other resources in the context of Azerbaijan sometimes bring to the listener and the reader a different position. I consider this kind of behavior from the side of information resources to be unacceptable, and common sense forces should counteract it with all possible legal means’, Mamedov said. ‘Let us say openly: while the Russian leader is speaking about strategic partnership and special mutual understanding between Moscow and Baku, some media are continuing to create the image of Azerbaijan as an unfriendly state. Is it worth proving that attempts to drive a wedge into interstate relations do not serve the development and consolidation of the Russian state?’
The Russian President has in fact become the guarantor of the unblocking of the transport and logistics chain in the South Caucasus, which opens up new opportunities for economic development of Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, as well as the region as a whole, Azer Mamedov reminded. But despite all these positive factors, stabilizing the situation in the South Caucasus, some Russian media often present the exact opposite information. Instead of informing the Russian public about existence of hundreds of Russian schools in Azerbaijan, active use of the Russian language by the citizens of the republic in their everyday life, activities of Russian community in Azerbaijan, activities of the Russian Information and Cultural Centre in Baku and many other positive factors, which contribute to closer relations between Russian and Azerbaijan, mass media paint a different picture that does not correspond to reality.
In this regard, Azer Mamedov suggested providing airtime and pages of Russian information resources to Azerbaijanis – citizens of Russia, namely representatives of the faculty, cultural and humanitarian environment of students, public figures, which will certainly serve the state interests of Russia.
‘Without unnecessary modesty and with sense of pride, I would like to state that during the centuries-old history of good neighborliness, friendship and mutual trust between the Russian and Azerbaijani peoples, such relations have been established that have long been perceived by most as brotherly. This is the result of many tests of time, when in difficult historical fateful periods, the two peoples, together with other friendly peoples, stood shoulder to shoulder and successfully resisted a common enemy. We should cherish and consolidate these relations and treat them with utmost care. After all, it is well known that creation takes a long time, while destruction takes very little time’, the expert concluded.
We would like to remind that the ‘Russia – Azerbaijan: Historical Experience of Interethnic and Interfaith Harmony’ international conference, which is attended by leading experts from these two countries, also included the Connecting Thread of Creativity, Transferring Experience to Future Generations exhibition of folk crafts of Russia and Azerbaijan, On the Caspian Coast poetry contest and round tables devoted to the discussion of possible prospects for information, scientific and educational cooperation. The event is organized by the Central Asian Studies Institute with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund and Kazan Federal University.
Ilmira Gafiyatullina
