Taliya Minullina: "The Women's Track at KazanForum is a Serious Platform for Reaching Agreements"
Taliya Minullina: "The Women's Track at KazanForum is a Serious Platform for Reaching Agreements"
15 May
The Women's Track, held as part of the 17th International Economic Forum "Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum", brought together representatives from 20 countries and has become a serious platform for reaching concrete agreements, said Taliya Minullina, Head of the Investment Development Agency of the Republic of Tatarstan.
"The Women's Track at KazanForum is growing — over recent years, we have built it into a truly serious, global, large-scale event. KazanForum this year welcomes participants from around 100 countries; it stands among the world's premier international events. The Women's Track alone features 20 countries. They say a woman's strength lies in her weakness, but I believe that for many women, strength also comes from within and, of course, from co-operation. Our platform demonstrates just how quickly you can meet representatives from virtually the entire world in one location and agree on delivering projects together. The women taking part in the Women's Track represent a wide range of sectors: industry, construction, healthcare, education, and IT. This is a serious platform for reaching agreements," Taliya Minullina said.
The Women's Track at KazanForum offers a unique chance to meet with women from Russia, a discussion that produced a wealth of interesting ideas, stated Mumtaz Shahbana, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
"I find myself mentally applying them to the lives and experiences of women in Pakistan — we have much in common. I have pinpointed a number of areas for cooperation. We wish to develop bilateral relations with Russia, and in particular with Tatarstan and other regions," she said.
The women's agenda at KazanForum is becoming broader, more compelling, and, most importantly, increasingly sought-after and responsive to contemporary challenges, said Galina Karelova, Chair of the Eurasian Women's Forum Council. According to her, two agreements were signed within the framework of the Women's Track, one of which concerns the field of education.
"Access to education and to modern knowledge is vital for women. Through the "Woman Leader" project, which we run together with the "Russia – Land of Opportunities" platform, women from 47 countries around the world have received training, the majority of them from countries of the Islamic world," said Galina Karelova.
Research has shown that women identify access to education as one of the barriers in the business environment, noted Nadiya Cherkasova, Coordinator of the Eurasian Women's Forum Council project "Development of Women's Entrepreneurship".
"For 12 years we have been conducting a study — the Women's Entrepreneurial Initiatives Index — assessing what opportunities and constraints are seen by women entrepreneurs and women who aspire to start a business. This March we carried out the 12th wave of the study: 90% of women say they are thinking about launching their own venture, and 79% of women entrepreneurs have undertaken additional training recently, which shows they are eager learners, striving for new knowledge. Among the main constraints, 54% of women cited issues around financing, especially when it comes to start-ups. The second barrier is education," she reported.
A country's infrastructure development should be such that a woman has the time to fulfil herself both as a professional and as a woman raising the next generation, and so that this successful combination of roles becomes a driver of the country's economic development, stated Zilya Valeeva, Chair of the Regional Branch of the Women's Union of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan, Chair of the public organisation "Women of Tatarstan", and Advisor to the Chairman of the National Council of the World Congress of Tatars.
"According to our research, today's woman faces no dilemma between being a professional and being a mother; she is ready to combine both. And many succeed at doing just that," she said.
Women wield considerable influence in the fields of medicine, health, and human wellbeing, stated Natalya Bondarenko, Deputy Chair of the Women's Union of Russia for Medical and Social Affairs, Chief External Specialist in Therapy and General Medical Practice at the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, and Co-Chair of the "Public Health and Human Wellbeing" Working Group of the BRICS Civil Forum.
"It is women who have always been the driving force behind health — in the family, in the workplace, and in society at large. And in developing the theme of active longevity, the topic of proactive corporate care for the individual is coming to the fore, one that fits within the framework of what we call sustainable, people-centred business," she said.
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The International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum” is being held in Kazan from 12 to 17 May 2026. In accordance with a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, the Forum acquired federal status in 2023, becoming the main platform for interaction between Russia and the Islamic world.
Representatives from 103 countries have registered for KazanForum 2026.
The Forum’s 2026 business programme includes 149 events across 21 tracks. Several international exhibitions will be held as part of the Forum: The International Exhibition of Co-operation between Russia and the Islamic World, the “Innovations. Investment. Infrastructure” Exhibition, the International Real Estate Exhibition and Conference, and the Kazan Halal Market Trade Fair. The agenda also includes: the Forum of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of OIC Countries, the Forum of Young Diplomats, the Forum of Young Entrepreneurs, meetings of intergovernmental commissions and bilateral conferences, festivals, gastronomic and sports projects, including the “Business on Horseback” horse race and the International Jockeys’ Championship.
In 2026, Kazan holds the status of Cultural Capital of the Islamic World. Cultural co‑operation will be one of the key themes of the humanitarian agenda – during the Forum, the Congress of Ministers of Culture of OIC Countries and the 15th Session of the ICESCO General Conference will be held. The programme will conclude with the “Izge Bolgar Zhyeni” gathering in Bolgar, dedicated to the Day of the Official Adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria.
The full programme of the Event is available on the Forum’s official website.
The Roscongress Foundation acts as the Operator for the preparation and holding of the Event, whereas ANO “Directorate for Sports and Social Projects” serves as the Operator’s Executive Directorate.
"The Women's Track at KazanForum is growing — over recent years, we have built it into a truly serious, global, large-scale event. KazanForum this year welcomes participants from around 100 countries; it stands among the world's premier international events. The Women's Track alone features 20 countries. They say a woman's strength lies in her weakness, but I believe that for many women, strength also comes from within and, of course, from co-operation. Our platform demonstrates just how quickly you can meet representatives from virtually the entire world in one location and agree on delivering projects together. The women taking part in the Women's Track represent a wide range of sectors: industry, construction, healthcare, education, and IT. This is a serious platform for reaching agreements," Taliya Minullina said.
The Women's Track at KazanForum offers a unique chance to meet with women from Russia, a discussion that produced a wealth of interesting ideas, stated Mumtaz Shahbana, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
"I find myself mentally applying them to the lives and experiences of women in Pakistan — we have much in common. I have pinpointed a number of areas for cooperation. We wish to develop bilateral relations with Russia, and in particular with Tatarstan and other regions," she said.
The women's agenda at KazanForum is becoming broader, more compelling, and, most importantly, increasingly sought-after and responsive to contemporary challenges, said Galina Karelova, Chair of the Eurasian Women's Forum Council. According to her, two agreements were signed within the framework of the Women's Track, one of which concerns the field of education.
"Access to education and to modern knowledge is vital for women. Through the "Woman Leader" project, which we run together with the "Russia – Land of Opportunities" platform, women from 47 countries around the world have received training, the majority of them from countries of the Islamic world," said Galina Karelova.
Research has shown that women identify access to education as one of the barriers in the business environment, noted Nadiya Cherkasova, Coordinator of the Eurasian Women's Forum Council project "Development of Women's Entrepreneurship".
"For 12 years we have been conducting a study — the Women's Entrepreneurial Initiatives Index — assessing what opportunities and constraints are seen by women entrepreneurs and women who aspire to start a business. This March we carried out the 12th wave of the study: 90% of women say they are thinking about launching their own venture, and 79% of women entrepreneurs have undertaken additional training recently, which shows they are eager learners, striving for new knowledge. Among the main constraints, 54% of women cited issues around financing, especially when it comes to start-ups. The second barrier is education," she reported.
A country's infrastructure development should be such that a woman has the time to fulfil herself both as a professional and as a woman raising the next generation, and so that this successful combination of roles becomes a driver of the country's economic development, stated Zilya Valeeva, Chair of the Regional Branch of the Women's Union of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan, Chair of the public organisation "Women of Tatarstan", and Advisor to the Chairman of the National Council of the World Congress of Tatars.
"According to our research, today's woman faces no dilemma between being a professional and being a mother; she is ready to combine both. And many succeed at doing just that," she said.
Women wield considerable influence in the fields of medicine, health, and human wellbeing, stated Natalya Bondarenko, Deputy Chair of the Women's Union of Russia for Medical and Social Affairs, Chief External Specialist in Therapy and General Medical Practice at the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, and Co-Chair of the "Public Health and Human Wellbeing" Working Group of the BRICS Civil Forum.
"It is women who have always been the driving force behind health — in the family, in the workplace, and in society at large. And in developing the theme of active longevity, the topic of proactive corporate care for the individual is coming to the fore, one that fits within the framework of what we call sustainable, people-centred business," she said.
*****
The International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum” is being held in Kazan from 12 to 17 May 2026. In accordance with a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, the Forum acquired federal status in 2023, becoming the main platform for interaction between Russia and the Islamic world.
Representatives from 103 countries have registered for KazanForum 2026.
The Forum’s 2026 business programme includes 149 events across 21 tracks. Several international exhibitions will be held as part of the Forum: The International Exhibition of Co-operation between Russia and the Islamic World, the “Innovations. Investment. Infrastructure” Exhibition, the International Real Estate Exhibition and Conference, and the Kazan Halal Market Trade Fair. The agenda also includes: the Forum of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of OIC Countries, the Forum of Young Diplomats, the Forum of Young Entrepreneurs, meetings of intergovernmental commissions and bilateral conferences, festivals, gastronomic and sports projects, including the “Business on Horseback” horse race and the International Jockeys’ Championship.
In 2026, Kazan holds the status of Cultural Capital of the Islamic World. Cultural co‑operation will be one of the key themes of the humanitarian agenda – during the Forum, the Congress of Ministers of Culture of OIC Countries and the 15th Session of the ICESCO General Conference will be held. The programme will conclude with the “Izge Bolgar Zhyeni” gathering in Bolgar, dedicated to the Day of the Official Adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria.
The full programme of the Event is available on the Forum’s official website.
The Roscongress Foundation acts as the Operator for the preparation and holding of the Event, whereas ANO “Directorate for Sports and Social Projects” serves as the Operator’s Executive Directorate.
