Inauguration Ceremony «Kazan OIC Youth Capital 2022»

On 15 March 2022, the Inauguration Ceremony of the “Kazan OIC Youth Capital 2022” International Programme was held at the Reception House of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
The event was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Director General of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum Rasul Omarov, Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) Ksenia Razuvaeva, Minister of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan Timur Suleymanov, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the OIC countries, representatives of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group, leaders in public diplomacy, youth policy and islamic cooperation.

The guests of the event were greeted by the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov. “The recognition of Kazan as the OIC Youth Capital is a unique event. For the first time in history, this status is assigned to an observer country. This is especially symbolic in the year of celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the official adoption of Islam in Volga Bulgaria,” the President of the Republic of Tatarstan emphasised. Rustam Minnikhanov noted Tatarstan has been successfully cooperating with the Central Office and specialised institutions of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for many years: “I am particularly pleased to note the close cooperation with the International Cooperation Youth Forum. Thus, throughout the year in Kazan, the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan, together with the Youth Forum, will implement a rich international programme that will cover all spheres of life and development of the youth of the Islamic world”. The President also thanked the Academy of Youth Diplomacy and the “Selet” youth movement for implementing international youth cooperation with the OIC countries.

“The choice of Kazan as the OIC Youth Capital is clear evidence of the mutual disposition for further friendly relations on truly equal and mutually beneficial principles,” noted Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov.

Greetings from the Director General of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum H.E. Rasul Omarov: «Russia is home to diverse climates, religions, languages, ideas, and the rich treasure of the humanity. The most important reason behind the selection of Kazan as the OIC Youth Capital is being a home of different cultures, races and colors can live together in a harmony».

The culmination of the Inauguration Ceremony was the Handover of the symbolic key of the OIC Youth Capital from Dhaka (Bangladesh) to Kazan.