Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov came up with the initiative to declare Kazan the city of the first printed Quran in the Muslim world. He said this at a meeting of the GSV "Russia-Islamic World" in Jeddah, the press service of the head of Tatarstan reported on Wednesday.
"Rustam Minnikhanov took the initiative to set 1803 as a memorial date for the publication of the first printed Quran by Muslims, as well as to proclaim Kazan "the City of the first printed Quran in the Muslim world." He reminded that the first mass edition of the Quran was printed in Kazan in 1803," the press office said.
Minnikhanov also reminded that next year Tatarstan will mark the 1,100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria.
He noted that at the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia became an observer in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in 2005. "Today we should use the potential of our relations much more actively. We should jointly increase the effectiveness of the fight against terrorism and cooperation in such areas as protection of traditional moral values, care for socially unprotected members of society and national minorities, the fight against natural and man-made disasters, and ecology," the press service quotes Minnikhanov as saying.
Separately, the head of the republic dwelled on the example of Tatarstan. "Tatarstan model of harmonious coexistence and interaction of nations and religions is broadcast today as an example of a reasonable civilizational approach in matters of national security and the strategy of further development of the Russian Federation," said the head of the republic.
Minnikhanov is on a visit to Saudi Arabia. On behalf of the President of the Russian Federation, he heads the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia-Islamic World". The group will hold its meeting on November 24. It is planned to discuss the issues of interaction of the Russian Federation with Muslim countries, in particular in matters of trade and economic ties, interreligious dialogue, in the promotion and defense of traditional cultural and ethical values. Prospects for the development and implementation of joint programs to promote the ideas of cultural, spiritual, religious diversity of the modern world, as well as strengthening regional cooperation.
About the group
The Group of Strategic Vision "Russia - Islamic World" was established in 2006 under the leadership of the Russian statesman and public figure, diplomat Yevgeny Primakov, and the first president of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiyev, after the Russian Federation joined the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as an observer.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS