Cross-cultural dialogue main subject of Kazan Youth Summit

KAZAN

The Kazan Global Youth Summit, an international program under the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Youth Capital 2022, where youth ministers from more than 20 countries have assembled, has stressed the importance of intercultural dialogue.

The summit, organized to contribute to the development of youth policies at local, regional and global levels, is being attended by 300 participants.

Among the topics for discussions in the summit - organized by the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), the Youth Affairs Ministry of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Academy of Youth Diplomacy, and the Public Fund for Youth of the Republic of Tatarstan “Selet” - are issues such as intercultural dialogue and equal opportunities for youth as well as youth migration.

Speaking in the session where Tatar Deputy Prime Minister Leyla Fazleeva made the opening speech, Bilal Erdoğan, the head of the World Ethnosport Confederation, underlined the importance of intercultural dialogue for the younger generation as it is needed for preserving cultural heritage.

“We believe that the development and preservation of cultures are extremely important for maintaining peace in the world as peace requires bilateral and multilateral respect,” Erdoğan said, adding that this requires all nations and communities to trust themselves and share their culture and values.

Stressing the importance of preserving cultural values, Erdoğan emphasized the necessity of focusing on “young people under the influence of powerful tools of cultural imperialism.”

Encouraging young people to engage in traditional sports, Erdoğan emphasized that it would take the understanding of cultural richness in the world to a new level.

Tatar President Rustam Minnikhanov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov participated in the session moderated by ICYF President Taha Ayhan on Aug. 28.

Ayhan pointed out that the organization brought together young people, politicians and decision-makers to talk about the active and meaningful participation of youth on the global agenda.

He said that the summit would be a response to the needs of Muslim youth as it gives the necessary opportunity to exchange ideas and share rich heritage and cultures between each other and the world.

Speaking at the session regarding “intercultural dialogue and equal opportunities for young people,” Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) Director General Mahmut Erol Kılıç said, “Russian Muslims play an important bridge role between the Russian Federation and the member states of the OIC.”

The session was also attended by Boris Chernyshov, a deputy of the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia.

Among the participants are youth ministers from Iraq, Russia, Palestine, Niger, Pakistan, Cameroon, Libya, Indonesia and Uganda, deputy ministers from Azerbaijan, Iran, Madagascar, Kazakhstan and Sierra Leone, leaders of youth organizations, representatives of international organizations, opinion leaders, young entrepreneurs and representatives from the scientific community.

From Türkiye, Ayhan, Kılıç and the director general of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Center for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), Nebil Dabur, took part as speakers.

The four-day summit includes ministerial plenary sessions, panel discussions and cultural events on topics such as equal opportunity, entrepreneurship skills and youth migration, while the participants are encouraged to generate new ideas in the eight workshops.