Medal, street renaming: action plan for 1100th anniversary of Islam adoption by Volga Bulgaria approved

Performances, concerts, exhibitions and forums in honour of the 1100th anniversary of the official adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria

Tatarstan has approved a plan of major events dedicated to the celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the official adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria. It was signed by Tatarstan Prime Minister Aleksey Pesoshin.

The authorities of the republic have planned 79 events: festivals, competitions, conferences. In March, it is planned to hold a concert of works by composers of Muslim countries of the Middle East, Central Asia and regions of Russia “Modern Music of the Muslim World” in Tatarstan.

In April, the Karim Tinchurin Theatre presents the play “Idegey” based on the historical heroic epic of the Tatar people, and the Tatar Youth Theatre named after Gabdulla Kariev — the musical performance YUSUF based on the poem Kul Gali. This month, it is planned to hold the All-Russian Congress of Teachers of History and Social Studies, preparation for the publication of the series “Tatar Epigraphic Tradition” in 15 volumes, publication of the consolidated text of written monuments of the Bulgarian period.

In May, residents of the republic will have the opportunity to see the updated exposition “Museum of Bulgarian Civilisation” in the Bulgarian Museum-Reserve. The solemn event “Izge Bolgar Zhyeny” takes place this month, the ceremony is planned to begin the construction of the Kazan Cathedral Mosque complex, forum of national mass media, All-Russian Student Olympiad in Arabic and Islamic culture will be held.

Also this year, in Kazan and Bolgar, they plan to assign the name of a street, square or park in honour of the 1100th anniversary of the official adoption of Islam in Volga Bulgaria, to create a Russian version of online madrasah educational platform medrese.tatar, to overhaul the facade of the mosque Bolgar in the capital of Tatarstan, to create a series of programmes on the channel of the Kazan Federal University, UniverTV, to establish a commemorative medal.

In early February, Realnoe Vremya found out that in 2022 Tatarstan has planned a large-scale renovation on the territory of the landmark Bolgar, the capital of the medieval Volga Bulgaria. Two hundred anf thirty-five million rubles were allocated from the republican budget for the works.

How celebration began in Tatarstan and Russia

The celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria started in early January — All-Russian Muslim Forum was held in Bolgar. It became the first event of the jubilee year not only in Tatarstan, but also in Russia. In Moscow, for example, the celebration began on January 13 with the 7th All-Russian annual conference “Readings named after Shigabutdin Mardzhani”.

Preparations for the celebration of the important date began at the end of last year on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In June 2021, the republican organising committee for the preparation and holding of festive events was established in Tatarstan. The Russian authorities also approved the composition of the committee for the preparation and holding of the celebration in 2022 of the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria: It was headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Marat Khusnullin.