Secretary-General of Shanghai Cooperation Organization: “Your university is not only the pride of Tatarstan and Russia, but also of the entire humankind”
Zhang Ming, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, visited Kazan Federal University on 23 October. He arrived to participate in the BRICS summit.
He arrived accompanied by Airat Zaripov, Chairman of the State Council Committee on Education, Science, Culture and National Affairs, and was met by Rector Lenar Safin, President of the University Riyaz Minzaripov, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of Timirkhan Alishev, and Director of the International Office Olga Vershinina.
The visit began at the History Museum of Kazan University. After the tour conducted by Svetlana Frolova, Director of KFU Museums Directorate, Zhang Ming was able to familiarize himself with the valuable documents and manuscripts of the Lobachevsky Library of Kazan University. Elmira Amerkhanova, Deputy Director for Research of the Library, showed the Secretary General a map of Beijing drawn up by the first Russian Sinologist Nikita Bichurin (1829), as well as a Chinese grammar book and an atlas of China published in 1737 in France.
Then a meeting was held with representatives of the Kazan University administration and students.
Timirkhan Alishev welcomed the distinguished guest. He talked about Kazan University, including the fact that the university has two foreign branches – in Uzbekistan and Egypt. The Vice-Rector also noted that Kazan University hosts the Kazan Model Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
“Today Kazan University has more than 55 thousand students, 11.5 thousand of them are from abroad, including 2,200 young people who came to us from China,” Dr Alishev said and added that more than 6,000 students from SCO member countries study here.
Dilbar Sadykova, alumna of Kazan University, Chairwoman of the Academy of Youth Diplomacy, spoke about her organization.
“We unite more than 14 thousand young people from more than 80 countries and have implemented over 100 projects,” she informed.
Zhang Ming thanked everyone for the hospitality and said that it was a great honor for him to visit Kazan University, which is celebrating its 220th anniversary.
“I think your university is the pride not only of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, but also of the whole humankind,” he emphasized.
Zhang Ming admitted that after visiting the Museum of History of Kazan University he had an impression that the outstanding graduates of the university are like stars in the sky: they are just as brilliant and beautiful.
“I envy the students and teachers who study and work here,” he said.
The guest said he learned during the tour that Leo Tolstoy, who studied Arabic, studied at Kazan University’s Eastern Department.
“When I was a student, I also studied Arabic. If I had known about the existence of Kazan University 40-50 years ago, I would have chosen your university,” the SCO Secretary-General shared.
He spoke about the history of the SCO, noting that the number of its members is constantly growing, as well as its influence in the international arena.
“I was touched when I learned about the SCO activities of your university students,” he noted.
At the end of the meeting, he answered a question from a student who was interested in what qualities and skills young people should possess in a rapidly changing world.
Zhang Ming advised the students to study well, read more and familiarize themselves with the world around them to form universal values such as love, peace, and justice.
“Once you have formed values and worldview, you will be able to contribute to stable peaceful development. I have no doubt that you and your friends have a wonderful future,” said the Secretary-General, concluding the meeting.