Education, culture, volunteering and entrepreneurship are the main directions of the I Russia – OIC International Youth Camp, which started today in Kazan. The camp is to last until October 3. During this period, 100 young representatives of Russian regions and OIC countries aged 18-35 will try to identify practical solutions of the challenges relevant to international cooperation, as well as will define a common vision for further interaction.
Timur Suleimanov, Minister for Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan, addressed the participants in the Kazan City Hall with a welcoming speech. According to him, Tatarstan is one of the leading innovative regions in Russia, which is actively working to consolidate and increase areas of cooperation with Muslim partners and investors. ‘Last year we established the Project Office under the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan ‘Russia – OIC’, which became a unique venue for Russian young people. I am sincerely glad that our event is attended by young people not only from Tatarstan, but also from other Russian regions’, Suleimanov highlighted. He also reminded that next year Russian Muslims would celebrate an important date – the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria. In this regard, most of the activities will be dedicated to this important date.
‘We are happy that a large delegation will visit us next year. This is a unique opportunity to demonstrate that Kazan and Tatarstan are ready to become the capital of OIC and to host major events organized together with Muslim countries’, the Minister for Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan is convinced. Besides, Timur Suleimanov added that the camp that opened today was a good platform to share experience, gain knowledge and find new partners and friends.
In his turn, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Andrey Platonov reminded that one of the priorities of the Agency is cooperation with OIC countries, consolidation of youth contacts, joint activities interesting for young people. And the camp opening today confirms this. ‘We are planning to make it annual and hope to see a great number of interested, progressive and purposeful young people as participants. I would like to thank Tatarstan for its invaluable experience. We expect that the Project Office will develop its activities and give more young people an opportunity to be coordinated’, the speaker concluded.
Takha Aikhan, President of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, was among the guests of honor at the opening ceremony of the Russia – OIC International Camp. ‘I am very glad to be present here today. The youth of Tatarstan are very active and interested in cooperation with countries of the Islamic world. This camp, which we are opening today, is of particular importance for youth policy in general’, Aikhan noted.
Kirill Bogomolov, Head of the Department for International Development Assistance and Humanitarian Programs, read out a greeting on behalf of the Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Evgeny Primakov. ‘Our country pays special attention to the development of intellectual, creative and professional potential of the young generation. Venues created for communication among youth from different countries make it possible to establish strong ties between representatives of various organizations and areas of activity. They become a zone for constructive and open dialogue. We are actively supporting initiatives aimed at expanding the borders of interaction between countries in humanitarian, scientific and educational, creative and other areas. Today’s camp is a new stage in the history of development between countries and a platform for fruitful work’, the greeting says.