Irfan Ablyazov: ''The Tatars, where they are few, try not to go into politics, but we show that it is possible''
The Business Partners of Tatarstan forum gathered businessmen from Russia and foreign countries on 7-9 December in Kazan. The correspondent of Realnoe Vremya attended a plenary meeting held within the framework of the forum and found out how broad the Tatar expansion in Russia is: the participants of the event told about the methods of preservation of the Tatar culture in the regions, the support of the community, and successful penetration of the Tartars in the business and political spheres.
The Tatars in the regional politics and dreams of a plant in Tatarstan
About 700 businessmen from 66 regions of Russia and 28 foreign countries attended the event in the Korston Hotel & Mall Kazan. During the event, we met with guests from Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Adygea, Krasnodar Krai. They were the guests of the XI forum Business Partners of Tatarstan. The second day began with the Alley of innovative projects of Tatarstan.
The first speaker of the meeting was the representative of the Saratov Oblast in Bashkortostan, deputy of the Kurultay of the Republic of Bashkortostan Irfan Ablyazov, who presented the Garant company dealing with building materials. He is the brother of the well-known Saratov businessman, owner of business group Narat Kamil Ablyazov.
The speaker stated that the profit that the business gets is directed not so much on their own needs but on the rise of the Tatar culture in the region.
''In Saratov, we have helped the Tatar school, helped the teachers, maintained the school for 30 years. For several years the graduates of Tatar schools enter the universities, and they are in demand in the Saratov Oblast and abroad. We have set ourselves the task to educate these young people so they could enter the leadership of the enterprises, and now 90-95% of the heads — Tatars,'' shared his experiences Ablyazov. ''I also want to say that, as a rule, the Tatars, where they are few, try not to go into politics, but we try to show that it is possible.''
The chairperson of the Corporation for enterprise development of Ulyanovsk Oblast Ruslan Gainetdinov, who spoke after the first speaker, said that in his region there is a strong association of the entrepreneurs-Tatars, who have gained significant experience in building relationships between business and government. This has allowed the entrepreneurs to enter the management of the key development institutions of the region and the regional management team.
''The entrepreneurs-Tatars – it is not only business, but, first and foremost, it has been historically laid down — it is those who are concerned, and today, I'm not afraid of these words, they are the only non-governmental institute for the preservation of language, culture, education, and support the traditions of our people,'' concluded Gainetdinov.
Also, during the meeting, the organization Tatarstan-International, whose main objective — the development of export potential of Tatarstan, advisory services and assistance in entering foreign markets, was presented to the president of the Republic of Tatarstan. In addition to the promotion of the Tatarstan products, the organization provides material and financial assistance to the national-cultural autonomies. Then, the representative of the company Keramika Arch Skin shared with Rustam Minnikhanov his dreams of the construction of a plant in Tatarstan in 2017. The materials produced by this company were used in the surfacing of residential complexes in Italy, Taiwan, Malaysia and also in the design of the Moscow metro, Kazan shopping center MEGA and dozens of other locations around the world.
A tourist route for the Tatars from all over the world and the regional diasporas
A Crimean Tatar Gulliver Altin, the founder of the Crimean historical museum-reserve in Bakhchisarai and who dreams to make Bakhchisarai a Crimean Geneva (i.e., an international business platform), presented to the forum participants an idea of creating a new international tourist route Tatar-Tour. This project, according to Altin, will tell about the rich history of the Turkic civilization, show its monuments, as well as acquaint the visitors with the hospitality of the Tatars from all over Russia. This route could link the Tatars living in China, Turkey, Russia and other parts of the world, and the Tatarstan TV channel TNV, according to Altin, can help in promoting the project.
The correspondent of Realnoe Vremya also managed to talk to a Tatar businessman from Yekaterinburg Ruslan Akhmirov, a member of the Congress of the Tatars of the Sverdlovsk Oblast. According to our interlocutor, in Yekaterinburg, there is a quite big community — about 400 thousand people, but there are problems with knowledge and use in the daily life of the Tatar language.
''This problem with the knowledge of the Tatar language is inside the community. Even in my family we know the Tatar language, but mostly we communicate in the Russian language,'' shared Akhmerov. ''As for the forum, I like the general idea — it is a partnership, new relationships and contacts, both in Tatarstan and in other regions. By the way, we have already managed to enter Togliatti and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug — it is even further.''
In addition to businessmen, the event was attended by the heads of regional Tatar communities and national-cultural autonomies. For example, the chairperson of the Tatar community Duslyk of the Republic of Adygea Alam Ilyasov, who has attended to the World Congress of the Tatars for more than 20 years in a row, and also tries not to miss the forum Business Partners of Tatarstan.
''Here we solve the issues of business to raise our Tatar diaspora, and our goal is the revival of the language, culture, customs of the Tatars living in the Republic of Adygea,'' said our interlocutor. ''We have many Tatars living in the republic — about 7-8 thousand people, we have a Tatar Museum, ensemble, Sunday school, and we work closely with the Tatars of Crimea — we visit each other.''
A friend of Alyam Ilyasov from Armavir noted that the forum is extremely useful to exchange experiences, especially with Tatarstan.
''Here we establish contacts, regardless of nationality, we're bringing businessmen here — they want to see how it is organized in Tatarstan. Today Tatarstan for the whole of Russia is a pilot project, a unique platform. To share experiences, to look at the culture — it's worth it,'' said the chairperson of the Board of the organisation ''Tatar national-cultural autonomy of the city of Armavir Batyr'' Ildar Kamalov.