An exhibition dedicated to the 1,100th anniversary of the official adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria opened on Wednesday in the Russian State Duma with the participation of State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, and heads of the Duma factions, the press service of the regional head said.
Islam was voluntarily adopted by the Volga Bulgars (presently the territory of Tatarstan) as the state religion on May 21, 922. According to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the holiday has a federal status; the organizing committee is headed by Marat Khusnullin, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government. About 150 events are planned throughout the country to celebrate the memorable date. The main celebrations will take place on May 19-21 in Tatarstan.
"The ceremony was attended by Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, as well as the leaders of all factions," the report said.
Minnikhanov thanked the leadership of the State Duma for the opportunity to hold such an event. Reminding that by the decision of the president of the country, the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria is a holiday of a federal scale, he noted that a lot of events will take place.
"Thank you for the exhibition, it allows you to plunge into the history of the country through the history of Islam. It is a great responsibility for us to carefully carry through life what our ancestors were able to achieve. We respect each other's faiths. We need to cherish that. I hope it will not be the last exhibition," Volodin said.
The faction leaders noted Tatarstan's experience in preserving cultural values and traditions, maintaining a multiconfessional peace, which is worthy of dissemination in other regions.
The exhibition will be on display till May 20. The exposition tells about the development of the Bulgarian statehood and Muslim culture on the territory of Tatarstan and Russia in general, the formation of the Russian Muslim theological tradition, as well as the modern revival of Islam and the shrines of Ancient Bolgar. The expositions include archival documents: ancient manuscripts and treatises, documents about Islamic education, Muslims in public service, modern state of Islam in Russia, architectural drawings of religious buildings.
Also on display are cultural artefacts such as national costumes, décor, handicrafts, book publications, the Quran, bone carvings and much more. A calligrapher will work at the exhibition. TV screens will feature archival video chronicles of the laying of the first stone of the Bulgarian Islamic Academy, the ceremonial raising of the crescent moon on the minaret of the Kul Sharif Mosque in Kazan and others. In addition, fragments of documentary films will be shown.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan
Based on materials from RIA Novosti