Kazan Hosts 15th ICESCO General Conference
Kazan Hosts 15th ICESCO General Conference
On the first day of the KazanForum business programme, the 15th session of the General Conference of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) opened. The plenary session was attended by representatives from 30 states and observer countries. Twenty-three delegations took part in the event online.
Welcoming addresses were delivered by Rais of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural, Social, and Family Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Russian Federation Sami bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Sadhan, and the Chairman of the ICESCO General Conference, Dr Abdel Aziz Kansoua, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The preservation of cultural heritage was one of the key topics of the meeting. Rustam Minnikhanov emphasised: Kazan and the whole of Tatarstan are a living example of how traditions and history can seamlessly blend with modernity. The region’s pride lies in its four pearls, recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the majestic Kazan Kremlin, the ancient Bolgar, the picturesque island-fortress of Sviyazhsk, and the Engelhardt Historical Observatory. For the guests of the KazanForum, guided tours of the UNESCO sites will be organised, allowing them to experience history first-hand.
The ICESCO Conference, which takes place every four years, sets the tone for the development of the Islamic cultural space. This time, Kazakhstan received the status of Cultural Capital of the Islamic World, which caused positive reactions among the forum’s guests. Additionally, the country proposed to nominate its historical centre, the city of Turkestan, for the title of ICESCO Cultural Capital in 2027.
Welcoming addresses were delivered by Rais of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural, Social, and Family Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Russian Federation Sami bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Sadhan, and the Chairman of the ICESCO General Conference, Dr Abdel Aziz Kansoua, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The preservation of cultural heritage was one of the key topics of the meeting. Rustam Minnikhanov emphasised: Kazan and the whole of Tatarstan are a living example of how traditions and history can seamlessly blend with modernity. The region’s pride lies in its four pearls, recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the majestic Kazan Kremlin, the ancient Bolgar, the picturesque island-fortress of Sviyazhsk, and the Engelhardt Historical Observatory. For the guests of the KazanForum, guided tours of the UNESCO sites will be organised, allowing them to experience history first-hand.
The ICESCO Conference, which takes place every four years, sets the tone for the development of the Islamic cultural space. This time, Kazakhstan received the status of Cultural Capital of the Islamic World, which caused positive reactions among the forum’s guests. Additionally, the country proposed to nominate its historical centre, the city of Turkestan, for the title of ICESCO Cultural Capital in 2027.
Photo Gallery from the Event
