Kazan (UNA) – The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, sent a message to the participants of the annual meeting of the Strategic Vision Group “Russia – Islamic World”, which was held in Kazan, and whose main theme was “common values as a basis for cooperation and mutual understanding between Russia and the Islamic world”.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin delivered President Putin's speech, in which he affirmed that Islam is one of the world's religions widely practiced in Russia, noting that millions of Russian Muslims contribute to the development of the national economy, science, culture, and the social sphere.
Marat reaffirmed Putin’s commitment to strengthening friendly relations with all countries of the Islamic world, adding that the forum and the group meeting bring together an elite of politicians, public figures, business leaders, scholars and representatives of religions to discuss key issues related to cooperation and the development of human ties.
He also stressed to the participants in the annual meeting, which coincided with the 17th session of the International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: Kazan Forum”, that strengthening cooperation between Russia and Islamic countries is of particular importance in light of escalating international tensions, stressing the need for the “Russia – Islamic World” Strategic Vision Group to continue as a platform for coordinating efforts and seeking ways to achieve peace.
For his part, the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chairman of the Strategic Vision Group “Russia – Islamic World”, Rustam Minnikhanov, explained that the group has contributed over the past years to making relations between Russia and the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation more constructive and multidimensional.
He said that converging positions on key issues in global politics, along with shared moral values, are of particular importance to Russia as a multinational state, noting that the group will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2026, and pointing to the role played by Yevgeny Primakov and Mintimer Shaimiev in consolidating dialogue between Russia and the Islamic world.
During the meeting, participants discussed issues of strengthening international cooperation, the development of a multipolar world order, interfaith dialogue, and strengthening humanitarian and economic ties between Russia and Islamic countries.
For his part, Igor Komarov, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District, stressed that throughout history Russia has formed a model of unity in diversity and coexistence between religions, emphasizing that common values have become the basis for consolidating the internal cohesion of Russian society and international dialogue with the Islamic world.
The meeting was attended by more than 100 Russian and international figures, including Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Administration Magomed Salam Magomedov, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council Grigory Karasin, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations and Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Miguel Angel Moratinos, and Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Yousef Al-Dubaie.
The participants noted that the volume of trade between Russia and the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation increased by 5.9% by the end of 2025, while Russian exports increased by 8.3%.
The official meeting was preceded by a number of specialized sessions and meetings in Kazan, including a session entitled “Religion and Culture: Civilizational Dialogue,” which was dedicated to discussing the interaction between religions. Meanwhile, the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan held a roundtable on scientific, technological and economic cooperation, including digital solutions and modern technologies.
The forum also featured a session entitled “The Greater Eurasian Partnership: A Development Strategy”, which focused on strengthening cooperation between international blocs and building sustainable partnership models.
Within the program, a media track was allocated, represented by the media forum organized by the Strategic Vision Group “Russia – Islamic World” in cooperation with Tatmedia and the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA), with the participation of representatives of international media outlets, where the forum discussed ways to enhance professional cooperation and build international media relations.
(is over)
