Last week Ufa hosted the XIV International Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Ideals and Values of the Abrahamic Traditions: Unity of Messages – Dialogue and Cooperation’. The opening ceremony of the event, dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria, was held at the Toratau Congress Hall.
The conference discussed the development of religious education and spirituality.
Participants and guests of the conference were representatives of state structures, scientific and religious circles from Russia, near and far abroad countries, such as Morocco, the UAE, Serbia, Syria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Turkiye, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, Egypt, India, Jordan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and others.
As part of the conference, the guests congratulated Sheikh-ul-Islam Talgat Safa Tadzhuddin, Supreme Mufti, and Chairman of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia, on his 40th anniversary of service. Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Vasil Shakhraziev in a solemn atmosphere presented the Sheikh with a gift on behalf of Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The unifying power of universal human values was highlighted in every speech delivered at the conference. Azat Fattakhov, Chairman of the Council for State and Confessional Relations under the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan, noted that representatives of various nationalities and faiths live peacefully and in harmony in Bashkiria. He also stressed the role of Islam in the development of the republic: ‘Islam has traditionally played a special role in our republic. It is not by chance that over two centuries ago Ufa became the centre of Russian Islam. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims established here has more than once proved its adherence to Russian Islam and its loyalty to our state’. He added that people have always come to Ufa for classical Islamic education, the foundations of which were laid by wise forefathers, and the opening of new buildings of the Russian Islamic Universities continues these traditions.
‘Today there are more than 1400 students studying at Muslim educational institutions in Bashkiria. The Islamic University actively cooperates with recognized Muslim educational centres in the Middle East and Central Asia. Last year, on the initiative of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims, the Eurasian Association for Promoting Islamic Education was founded, comprising the Spiritual Administrations of Muslims of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. This shows that we are on the right path and that all our efforts are aimed at forming a domestic school of Islamic education,’ Fattakhov concluded.
Addressing the conference, Rector of the Russian Islamic University Arthur Suleimanov emphasized the need to preserve traditional spiritual values and traditions: ‘The very title of the conference brings us back to understanding of human existence on Earth, personal responsibility of believers for present and future generations, as well as spiritual fundamentals and principles which, like a foundation, form the basis for social peace and harmony’.
Ruslan Karamyshev, Deputy Chairman of the Council for State and Confessional Relations under the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan, noted the importance of the conference with the following words: ‘Representatives of 20 countries have arrived in Ufa: the UAE, Turkiye, Syria, Jordan, CIS countries and others. This shows that the capital of Bashkortostan is one of the world’s major centres of Islam’.
The conference included plenary and breakout sessions, round tables, as well as the opening of new buildings of the Russian Islamic University, followed by a meeting of the Council of the Eurasian Association for the Promotion of Islamic Education.
Guests of honor from abroad and the Russian Federation also took part in the installation of a memorial sign at the site of mosques in the Yarkiy capital’s new micro district and in the Zubbovo settlement of the Rabbani mosque.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: bashinform.ru