World Congress of Tatars opens in Kazan

The third World Congress of Tatars opened in Kazan (capital of Tatarstan, a republic in the Volga Region) on Wednesday.

Such congresses are held every five years and enjoy great popularity among the Tatar population of the republic. On August 28th-29th, the Kazan congress will be attended by 560 delegates and more than 200 guests from different regions of Russia, former Soviet republics and foreign countries.

Among the guests of honour is Farit Gazizullin, head of the State Property Committee of Russia, Academician Kamil Valiyev, athlete Alina Kabayeva, football-player Ruslan Nigmatullin.

On the first day of the congress its delegates and guests will take part in three events devoted to various spheres of life in Tatarstan.

The scientific-practical conference "Science, Education and Culture" will be held at the Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan. The conference will be opened by Farid Mukhametshin, the Chairman of the Republic's State Council, and Zilya Valeyeva, the deputy Prime Minister, will make the welcoming speech. Problem reports will be delivered by Mansur Khasanov, the President of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Faris Kharisov, the Minister of Education, and Ildus Tarkhanov, the Minister of Culture.

The round-table conference "Modern Culture and Tatar Youth" will be held in the National Cultural Centre "Kazan." The delegates and guests will be addressed by Marat Bariyev, the Minister for the Youth and Sports Affairs, and Rivkat Yusupov, rector of the Kazan State University of Culture.

Businessmen taking part in the congress will be able to acquaint themselves with the output of industrial enterprises of Tatarstan and establish business ties at the 10th International Trade and Industrial Exhibition and Fair "Kazan - the Meeting Place" which is currently held in the Kazanskaya Yarmarka Exhibition Center.