The international summer school "Bulgarian dialogue of cultures-2020" has started today. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is being held in an online format. The key theme of the two-day seminar is "Youth volunteer movement: the experience of Russia and the Islamic world". It is assumed that in the framework of the intensive program participants who represent not only different regions of Russia, but also countries of the Islamic world, would not only just share their experience in the field of volunteering, but also gain useful skills in presentation of personal brand, establish closer links with representatives of youth organizations from within their own country and at the international level.
According to the organizers of the School, its main goal is to create conditions for the development of relations between youth organizations and volunteer associations, as well as to exchange practical experience of participants in the volunteer movement from Russian regions and foreign countries.
According to Farit Mukhametshin, the Deputy Chairman of the GSV Russia – Islamic world, the topic of volunteerism is one of the most pressing issues on the world stage. "In Russia, it should be noted, the volunteer movement is gaining a new scale. During one of his speeches, our President Vladimir Vladimirovich stressed that to date, volunteers have provided assistance to more than 3 million citizens. This is an invaluable experience that is designed to help us preserve the main human values in modern society and increase them. We can see the special importance of the volunteer movement even now, in the conditions of the coronavirus that has affected every corner of the planet. Of course, volunteerism has a special place in the Russian Federation. Thus, within the framework of the Year of volunteerism, the concept of volunteerism until 2025 was developed and adopted, which involves both support for volunteer organizations and the formation of a coordinating body to support volunteerism."
Separate words of gratitude were addressed to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which supports and actively participates in the events organized by the Group. Thus, according to the Deputy Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Askar Musinov, one of the tasks of the OIC is to expand and deepen opportunities for dialogue between Russian youth and the younger generation of the Islamic world. "Much attention is paid to volunteerism, including in Muslim countries. For example, it was decided to include the day of the Muslim volunteer in the calendar of political events, which is now celebrated on the 19th of Ramadan. What is this but recognition of the importance of volunteerism, and of youth as an important element and engine of it?"
The rector of the Bulgarian Islamic Academy Daniyar Abdrakhmanov, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Muftis Council Rushan Hazrat Abbyasov, the First Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs of Tatarstan Timur Suleimanov, the head of the social Department of the Religious Board of Muslims of RT Aigul Biktimirova and others also welcomed the participants of the School.
The event is organized by the Foundation for Strategic Dialogue and Partnership with the Islamic world and the Bulgarian Islamic Academy with the support of the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan. The event takes place as a part of the first phase of the work of the Project office of Federal Agency for Youth Affairs for the international youth cooperation "Russia – OIC". Partners of the project are the Academy of Youth diplomacy, Kazan, and Selet Youth Foundation. Tomorrow, August 7, the results of the video contest will be summed up (voting for the nominees is held on the Group's website). Each participant of the international summer school "Bulgarian dialogue of cultures-2020" will receive a certificate of participation in the conference. The broadcast of the second day of the School will take place on the website of the Group of strategic vision "Russia – Islamic world".
Ilmira Gafiyatullina