Tatarstan to share its youth policy strategies with 43 countries
Kazan Global Youth Summit discussed digital rights of youth, the International Association of Children's Camps and the tragedy of Palestine
On 22 August, more than 110 delegates from 43 countries gathered at the Kazan City Hall. All of them came for the III Kazan Global Youth Summit. Among the guests — representatives of the Ministries of Youth of the OIC and BRICS member countries. Not everyone got to the event: in total, more than seven thousand applications for participation from 123 countries were submitted. About how the opening of the summit took place and what tasks its participants faced — in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
“In just three years, the summit has become an reputable platform”
At the entrance, the summit participants were greeted by a robot dog dancing to ethnic music. Foreign guests looked at the unusual “beast” with interest and filmed it on camera. Such a greeting was quite consistent with the concept of the summit, the key theme of which was digitalisation and modern tools of youth policy.
“I am here to discuss youth and family values that influence them in our time, in the era of digitalisation and modern technology. I've prepared a speech about it. Kazan is a city where a variety of cultures is represented. It is wonderful that representatives of different countries are going to discuss such important topics here," said Libyan Youth Minister Fathallah Abd Al-Latif Al-Zani.
His opinion was supported by the president of the Youth Forum of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) International Organisation Taha Ayhan:
“This year we are discussing digitalisation issues. In addition, traditional values are always among the priorities that we discuss. Kazan is rightfully hosting this summit because it is a very peaceful city with a diverse ethnic, cultural and historical palette.
The delegates started discussing modern technologies the day before: the first events of the summit were held on August 21, before the opening ceremony. The day before, the guests visited the Kazan IT Park. The deputy minister for women, youth and persons with disabilities of South Africa, Mmapaseka Steve Emily Letsike, expressed admiration for him. She assured that South Africa would adopt Tatarstan practices. By the way, this year the country takes part in the summit for the first time.
“In just three years, the summit has become an authoritative platform that gathers young people from almost half of the world. As we know, in 2024, more than 110 people from 43 countries became participants, which once again proves the relevance of the youth agenda," said Konstantin Kolpakov, the chairman of the Council of Young Diplomats of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The event was first held in Kazan two years ago, when the city was recognised as the international capital of the countries of the Association of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). At that time, the summit was attended by about 300 guests from 67 countries of the world. In 2023, the number of admitted participants and their geography halved: 140 people from 30 countries came to the capital of Tatarstan. At that time, four thousand delegates from more than 80 countries submitted applications. This year, more than seven thousand residents of 123 countries expressed their desire to come.
“We have signed more than 20 agreements with 17 countries”
More than a dozen international agreements have been the result of the Kazan Global Youth Summit since 2022, said Timur Suleymanov, the chairman of the Council of the regional branch of the Movement of the First of Tatarstan, assistant to the rais of the republic.
“During this time, we have signed more than 20 agreements with 17 countries and agreed on exchange programs, joint research, which we implement together. Last year, one of these studies was presented on the topic of youth, the topic of youth migration. All this forms the basis of our programs," he said.
This year, the summit plans to discuss the holding of the first Islamic Youth Games in Kazan. Also, within the framework of the event, work will be carried out on the International Association of Children's Organisations. The order to establish it was given by Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the World Youth Festival.
“Within the framework of this summit, we plan to agree with the ministries that in each country represented today a reference children's organisation should be identified, which will be included in this association. The Movement of the First was instructed to establish this movement, and today the format of its work is being determined," Suleymanov shared.
“We cannot underestimate the youth”
Tatarstan has a lot to tell foreign guests, Minister of Youth Affairs of the republic Rinat Sadykov assured.
“This is, of course, a large infrastructure network of youth policy and sports institutions, the technologies that today allow us to consolidate a huge number of young people around important socially significant projects," he stressed.
The Mufti of Tatarstan Kamil hazrat Samigullin opened the ceremony by reading the Koran. Then the guests were greeted by Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan Leyla Fazleeva. She stressed that a quarter of Tatarstan residents are people under 35 years of age.
“We cannot underestimate the youth. That is why we are meeting with you here today to look at the best practices of countries in working with youth during your stay in Tatarstan, to see answers to the challenges that we all face today in terms of the digital development of our states and in terms of interaction with youth representatives in each country," Fazleeva said.
“We must fight for the rights of youth in Palestine”
Another issue that is planned to be discussed at the summit is military action in the Gaza Strip. Delegates have repeatedly raised it in their first reports.
“This tragedy is incredible. We must fight for the rights of young people in Palestine and protect their interests, given the horrors they have faced," said Taha Ayhan, President of the OIC Youth Forum International Organisation.
According to Ayhan, Israel's attacks are taking place with the non-interference of the UN and the indifference of many governments. It is necessary to strengthen efforts to stop the aggression in Gaza, he believes.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the OIC member countries, who, for their part, are doing everything possible to support Palestine and achieve a settlement of the conflict," said the president of the OIC Youth Forum.
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Social and Cultural Affairs, Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet also spoke about this. The youth of Palestine do not have basic human rights: to life, security, education, employment," he listed and called for joining efforts for a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
“Through digitalisation, we have shown the whole world what is happening in Palestine, the collective crimes that are being committed against our people," said Mujahid Slameh, Deputy Minister of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports of Palestine. “I would like to share the facts. Since October 7, more than 10,000 young people have been imprisoned. Forty percent of the Palestinians killed are young people, and a very large percentage of the victims are women and children. More than 80% of infrastructure, water, electricity and other things were destroyed.”
He thanked those present for their attention to the problems of Gaza.
“I wish this summit fruitful results so that it takes into account what is happening in Palestine, with the Palestinian youth, who are deprived of the simplest human rights. We're talking about digital rights, but Palestinian youth don't even have water," Tarig Ali Bakheet concluded.