As part of a business program of the Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum International Economic Forum, the Kazan Town Hall hosted a meeting of the Group of Strategic Vision on “Russia – Islamic World: Traditional Spiritual and Moral Values as a Basis for Interreligious Cooperation”.
The Group discussed current issues relating to the state and prospects of interreligious interaction between Russia and member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The central themes of the meeting were protection and promotion of common spiritual and moral values, and preservation of historical, cultural and civilizational heritage of peoples of Russia and Muslim countries.
The meeting was attended by prominent representatives of state authorities, politicians and public figures from many countries.
The meeting of the Group was chaired by Rais (Head) of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chairman of the Russia – Islamic World Group of Strategic Vision Rustam Minnikhanov. The Russian side was represented by His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Marat Khusnullin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Mikhail Bogdanov, Chairman of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims, Supreme Mufti of Russia Talgat Tajuddin, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council Ravil Gaynutdin, heads of Russian regions and other prominent representatives of government, religious, social, scientific and business circles.
Foreign participants included Ahmed Bin Mohammad Al Jarwan, president of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace (UAE); Hamid Hawali Shahriari, secretary-general of the World Organization for the Convergence of Madhhabs (Iran); Abdullah Al-Matouka, chairman of the International Islamic Charities, special advisor to the UN secretary-general (Kuwait); Hani Khashoggi, member of the Advisory Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Din Shamsuddin, chairman of the Global Centre for Moderate Islam, chairman of the World Peace Forum; Izzat Saad, director of the Egyptian Council for International Affairs; Taha Aihan, president of the Youth Forum of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation; Mahmoud Sudki Al Habbash, chief justice of Palestine, and others.
During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Marat Khusnullin read out a greeting from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The address included words on the importance of this forum, multinational people of Russia, Muslims who have made a significant contribution to the development of international relations with the countries of the Islamic world, and plans to develop and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas, including economic and humanitarian ones.
‘Dear friends! I cordially welcome you on the occasion of the opening of the 14th International Economic Forum in Kazan. Once again, the capital of Tatarstan welcomes guests from many countries and once again confirms its status as an authoritative and demanded venue for large-scale and representative business events. Russia has traditional close trusting relations with Muslim states, both bilaterally and within the framework of interaction between organizations of Islamic cooperation. They are based on partnership, respect, sovereignty and civilizational uniqueness. We are united by a commitment to the formation of a more equitable multipolar world order based on international law. Russia is open for the broadest and most business-like cooperation with Islamic countries,’ the deputy prime minister read out.
The presentations of the members of the Russia – Islamic World Group of Strategic Vision then dealt with the current political situation: political and economic diktat, the desire of the collective West for the unipolar world, immorality and ideological attitudes that run counter to spiritual values, legalized by the West as the norm, information wars and causes of the rise of Nazism.
In particular, after greeting those present according to Islamic canons, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian President in the Volga Federal District Igor Komarov, announced that the meeting was devoted to important issues relating to traditional spiritual and moral values, as they are a platform for building long-term partnership between Russia and the Islamic world. Traditional values, namely, life, dignity, human rights and freedoms, patriotism, citizenship, service to the Fatherland and responsibility for its fate, high moral ideals, a strong family, creative labor, priority of the spiritual over the material, humanism, mercy, justice, historical memory and succession of generations are the object of state protection.
In his turn, Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chairman of the Group Rustam Minnikhanov delivered a speech in which he critically assessed the international political situation in the world, spoke about the difficult period of the multipolar world and Russia’s readiness to defend its right to the original existence in the face of aggressive globalism embodied in American hegemony to the end.
‘Russia is a multinational state with a unique experience of building inter-ethnic dialogue between representatives of traditional world religions. One of the brightest examples of interreligious harmony in Tatarstan is the Kazan Kremlin, where one can find a mosque and an Orthodox cathedral. I am convinced that the meeting will contribute to our joint efforts to strengthen traditional spiritual and moral values. The key to this is an active dialogue between political and religious leaders, cultural figures and activist of public opinion in Russia and states of the Islamic world. It will help to step up the fight against various manifestations of xenophobia, extremism and terrorism. One of the most important elements of our cooperation in this area is local opposition to manifestations of Islamophobia. At the same time, we must speak out in a consolidated manner against the oppression of traditional religious associations in the post-Soviet space. This year marks the 20th anniversary of President Putin’s speech at the Islamic conference in Malaysia. It was then when he proposed transferring Russia’s relations with the Muslim world to a qualitatively new format. As a result, our country gained the status of observer to this international organization.
We are planning to hold the next meeting this year in Malaysia. It is also necessary to develop cooperation between Russia and the Islamic world in the field of education, including religious education. This will contribute to a better understanding of religious values in the context of globalization and civilization-wide crisis. It is important to establish closer contacts between religious and secular educational institutions in Russia and the OIC states, including student and teacher exchanges. Russia regards the states of the Islamic world as priority trade and economic investment partners. These days Tatarstan is hosting the International Economic Forum, which has become an event of the federal level,’ Rustam Minnikhanov said, outlining the main activities of the Group for the current year.
He also expressed confidence that the meeting would be a success and would reaffirm the important role of strengthening friendship and cooperation between countries and peoples.
Sheikh-ul-Islam Talgat Tajuddin, chairman of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims, supreme mufti of Russia, gave an interesting speech.
He expressed his conviction that the topics discussed at the Forum were fully in line with the general political situation in which Russia and the rest of the world find themselves. He compared the difficult world situation to the crossroads between good and evil, genuine faith and unbelief.
He also spoke about the corruption of souls in Europe and the importance of educating the younger generation in the bosom of Russian spiritual staples.
‘Traditional staples have always saved our homeland in a time of historical trials, thanks to them Russia did not know interreligious wars and prospered in the conditions of good neighborliness between confessions. It was staples that became one of the reasons for the unity of the fatherland after the 90s’, he said.
The religious figure also recalled the words of Vladimir Putin at one of the Group’s forums about the importance of Islam as an important factor in the social and political life of Russia and its invaluable contribution to the spiritual development of the state.
The President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Jarwan spoke about the creation of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace. It is an international organization that relies on democratic principles, adopts from International Law and Covenants its own system of work to achieve genuine and sustainable peace for humanity, by spreading a culture of tolerance between countries, sharing experiences, practicing intercultural and interfaith dialogue, organizing meetings, forums and conferences of mutual interest.
It is made up of 90 parliamentarians from all over the world, who pass laws with the aim of promoting tolerance throughout the world.
‘We have also established a general assembly of more than 55 organizations and developed the first master’s program in tolerance and peace, which is taught in major universities around the world,’ the Global Council’s president shared.
The Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia and Mufti Sheikh Ravil Hazrat Gaynutdin delivered a sermon on eternal values, such as love for one’s neighbors, mercy, respect for elders and traditional family life, which, in his opinion, are important factors in bringing Russia and Muslim countries closer together. The sermon also assessed the diktat, the desire for a unipolar world and the imposition of immoral messages coming from the West. In addition, he noted the instability of the geopolitical situation.
‘But at the same time, not a single country in the Islamic world has declared sanctions against Russia, has not spoken out in a hostile way towards our country. Muslim countries perceive Russia as a partner and friend of the Islamic world! Over the past few months I have signed a number of agreements on cooperation with co-religionists from other countries, held meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and Islamic Affairs of many Muslim countries, with the muftis of Iran, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Jordan and other countries, which allows to deepen and expand cooperation between Russia and the Arab and Muslim world from education to economy’, the religious leader said.
Hani bin Yusuf Khashoggi, a member of the Advisory Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, suggested that the Group establish its own organization with its own headquarters and funding from member countries, select a general secretariat whose functions and powers would be determined by Rustam Minnikhanov. ‘We hope that once the headquarters is established, permanent committees will be set up,’ he said.
Hamid Hawali Shahriari, secretary-general of the World Organization for the Convergence of Madhhabs (Iran) urged the conference to pay attention to the problems of poor countries as well as climate change, water and food shortages that may be present in some states.
‘We stand for common struggle against global evils and that foreign troops should be withdrawn from some Asian countries and for true genuine peace among nations. Also the Palestinian problem, where there is pressure on the Palestinian territories by the Zionists, should be solved, we should stand firm against crimes against innocent people,’ Hamid Hawali Shahriari said.
Din Shamsuddin, former chairman of the Islamic non-governmental organization Muhammadiyya and chairman of the Global Fulcrum of Wasatiyyat Islam, called on Islamic and Christian denominations to join hands in solving many civilization problems, such as violence, poverty, climate change and global warming.
At the conclusion of the meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group, Deputy Chairman of the Group Farit Mukhametshin summarized the results. He noted that all the speeches made contained an in-depth analysis of the socio-political religious situation in the world today.
‘The countries of the collective West are not willing to accept the impending loss of global hegemony and the collapse of neo-colonialism. All speakers spoke in favor of the active development of interreligious dialogue in all vectors and strengthening cooperation. The leaders of our Group appreciate the readiness of religious leaders to fight together and encourage dialogue and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, desire to get to know each other’s traditions, based on recognition of cultural and spiritual-moral multipolarity of the world,’ he summed up.
The moderators commended the meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Group of Strategic Vision as an important milestone on the path of deepening the dialogue between the political and religious leaders of Russia and the states of the Islamic world.