KFU’s Festival of Eastern Cultures opened at KazanForum 2024

The ceremony took place at Kazan Expo on 15 May.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen to the Russian Federation Ahmed Salem Al-Waheishi addressed the festival participants with words of welcome at the opening.

He thanked the organizers and noted the excellent work of the Al-Khadara Center for Arabic Culture of KFU, whose activities contribute to the popularization of the Arabic language, as well as the establishment of friendly ties between the Arab world and Russia.

The Ambassador said that this year marks the 95th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Trade between Russia and the Republic of Yemen. He recited a poem by Rasul Gamzatov about Palestine and invited everyone to visit the exhibition of a Yemeni artist Nasser Sanad, which is being held as part of the festival.

Tarak Ben Salem, Ambassador of the Republic of Tunisia to the Russian Federation, and Dawood Mirzakhani, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kazan, also greeted the audience and informed them that the Iranian Culture Day will be held as part of the festival on 16 May.

In between the speeches of the distinguished guests, KFU students performed musical and dance numbers.

“The KFU Festival of Eastern Cultures is held for the first time. I would like to note that it is held with the support of the Investment Development Agency of Tatarstan. I think that now we will organize it annually as part of the forum. The program of the three-day festival is very diverse: Arab, Persian, Turkic cultures will be presented. Its participants will recite poems, sing songs, including author’s songs, there will be exhibitions, various contests, master classes, and representatives of consulates and embassies will give lectures,” reported Vice-Rector for International Affairs Timirkhan Alishev.

After the opening ceremony, the festival continued with a master class on Arab headdress, presentation of the Al-Khadara Center, a lecture by Deputy Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vasily Kuznetsov Russia – Islamic World in the Era of Global Transformation, and a meeting of students with Advisor to the President of the Republic of Yemen Faika Said.

According to Nailya Mingazova, Head of the Department of Arab Studies, Islamic Studies and Afro-Asian Studies of the Institute of International Relations, the program will also include open lectures, master classes, arts performances, and a meeting with the OIC Young Diplomats Forum.