‘There is no fear that the Tatars will disappear’ — gathering of entrepreneurs of Tatar villages takes place in Kazan

“We are together — and this is the main thing”

This year, the gathering of entrepreneurs of Tatar villages has been held for the 11th time. Five hundred and six participants gathered in Kazan. The oldest delegate was a 78-year-old businessman from Penza Oblast, the youngest — a 20-year-old entrepreneur from Tyumen.

“This meeting is of great importance. We are together — and this is the main thing. In the period of globalisation, this is especially important," Rustam Minnikhanov, the rais of Tatarstan, emphasised in his address to the participants of the meeting.

According to him, it is difficult not to notice what a qualitative transformation has taken place over the course of 11 years:

“Our people are developing and creating. There is not a single fear that the Tatars, our native Tatar language, our religion will disappear. I look into your eyes — and the soul rejoices. Our country is becoming stronger, and the Tatar people play a significant role in this, showing themselves on the good side.”

For three days, the forum participants got acquainted with how regional and federal business support programmes work in Tatarstan, and urgent problems of rural entrepreneurs are solved.

“We not only want to show ourselves during such meetings, but also take a great example from you. Each of those present here not only runs his own business, he does everything to preserve the Tatar people, the Tatar language, and pass on our national traditions to the younger generation. For this, a special thank you to each of you," the rais of the republic thanked.

Rustam Minnikhanov noted that all Sabantuys — federal, rural and others — all show the strength of the Tatars. Through this holiday, there is an opportunity to tell about our nation, to unite the people. “When traveling to other regions, we never ignore the Tatar diasporas. And Kazan is the capital for all Tatars. We are always very glad to see you," he concluded.

New Sabantuy

This year, on July 8, the Sabantuy of the Volga Federal District is going to be held for the first time. The venue will be Nizhny Novgorod. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan, Chairman of the National Council of the World Congress of Tatars Vasil Shaykhraziev. In his welcoming speech, he also thanked all participants of the forum:

“For 3 days, we got acquainted with the activities of entrepreneurs in the Chuvash Republic, a meeting was held with Hero of the Russian Federation Damir Yusupov. It is not the first time we have held events together with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tatarstan, the motto of this cooperation: “Business unites!” Within its framework, discussion platforms for the delegates of the gathering have been held today," he said.

Eight of the 14 residents of Chirchik are from Tatarstan

The foreign guests were presented on the stage by the deputy khokim of the Tashkent region for investment and foreign trade, Nazhmiddinkhodzha Sharipov. According to him, trusting relations have developed between the Tashkent region and Tatarstan, which are twin regions. The most significant project is Chirchik Industrial Park, created by Khimgrad management company.

“We have completely copied a working successful system. In just one year, we have placed 14 large projects totalling $200 million in this economic zone. It is gratifying that eight of the 14 enterprises are from Tatarstan," said the guest from Uzbekistan.

Besides, joint projects are being implemented in the cotton industry. Uzbekistan is an agrarian country. There are large areas of cotton crops in the Tashkent region. A joint project with a Tatarstan company for a total of $80 million is being implemented. Two stages have already been completed, $40 million has been spent. The project is planned to be launched before the end of this year. Cooperation with Tatneft is actively developing, not only in the oil and gas sector, but also in the production of rubber products. The Kukmara brand also develops its activities in Uzbekistan, which plans to build a new plant here in the near future. In turn, Uzbek entrepreneurs are implementing projects in Tatarstan. One of them is a wholesale distribution centre in the city of Kazan.

“There are no trifles in the issue of preserving the nation”

On the last day of the forum of entrepreneurs of Tatar villages, an exhibition and fair of products produced in the regions of Russia and handicrafts was organised. Several directions were presented at the exhibition: national clothes, national cuisine, national souvenirs, healthy lifestyle, technical profile of agriculture, Tatar brands and others.

As for the brands, one of the most famous are “Tatar ata” (“Tatar horse”) and “Tatar Kazy” (“Tatar goose”). A guest from Tuymazinsky district of Bashkortostan Indira Latypova, who herself keeps geese and organises the traditional holiday “Kaz Omese” (translated into Russian as “Goose help”, “Goose feather”) told about the latter.

Last year, for the first time, the All-Russian festival “Kaz Omese” was held in the Muslyumovsky district of Tatarstan, where collectives from different regions of Russia gathered. The farmer, addressing the rais of the republic, proposed to hold such a holiday in every district of Tatarstan and in the regions of the country, to organise the final of the holiday again in Muslyumovo, on the picturesque bank of the Ik River, and at the end of the year, in December, to hold special goose fairs in every district of the republic and in Kazan.

“Goose is a special bird for Tatars. It is given for the biggest holidays, pillows are made from goose down, and meat delicacies are known far beyond the borders of the republic. If the distribution of the Tatar goose brand starts from the capital of all Tatars, the effect will be stronger, since there are no trifles in the issue of preserving the nation," concluded Indira Latypova.

By the way, now there are more than 1 million heads of geese in Tatarstan, and more than 2 million in Bashkortostan.

“There are no trifles in the issue of preserving the nation," concluded Indira Latypova.

“These meetings for us, on the one hand, are pride and joy, and on the other — a great responsibility," said Vasil Shaykhraziev.

“A village without entrepreneurs has no present, and a village without a school has no future," Tatar farmers said in their speeches, noting the problems of preserving the language and reducing rural residents. However, the speakers did not delve into the negative agenda, they talked more about achievements and successes, which once again turned the gathering of entrepreneurs of Tatar villages into a holiday.