On May 14 Ibn Sina Foundation participated in a special session of the Strategic Vision Group “Russia-Islamic World”. The session was dedicated to the dialogue of civilizations. The event was held at the Kazan Orthodox Spiritual Seminary.
The President of Ibn Sina Foundation Hamid Hadavimoghaddam presented a report on the importance of translation in civilizational dialogue. He underlined that translation shouldn’t be perceived just as explaining words by the means of other language’s words, it’s a form of civilizational and religious dialogue that allowed to know each other better. He also told about the role of Iran in cultural communication between China, India and Europe. That role allowed Iran to accumulate precious knowledge in the area of medicine, history and culture in order to preserve it and to share it with other civilizations.
The Scientific Director of Ibn Sina Foundation Andrey Lukashev also spoke at the session. He presented a report on representation of the Other in medieval Sufi literature. A. Lukashev pointed to the ambiguity of traditional view on other confessions based on the example of the heritage of medieval Sufi poets. He demonstrated that for mystics their view on spiritual life and the value of sacrifice on the path of worshipping the God was more important than apparent confessional diferences. This idea unites both Muslim and Christian mystics and can create a platform for religious dialogue.
The special session of the Strategic Vision Group “Russia-Islamic World” was held in the framework of the International Economical Forum “Russia -Islamic World: KazanForum 2026”. Participants of the Forum presented their reports dedicated to the development of religious education, cultural dialogue and preserving cultural identity. The Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan; the Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Archpriest Igor Vyzhanov; employees of the Department of External Church Relations – Hieromonk Grigory (Matrusov) and priest Andrei Titushkin; the Supreme Mufti of Russia Talgat hazrat Tadzhuddin; the Head of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia Mufti Albir hazrat Krganov; Mufti of Tatarstan Kamil hazrat Samigullin; assistant to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Deputy Chairman of the Strategic Vision Group “Russia – Islamic World”, the Executive Director of the Foundation for Assistance to Strategic Dialogue and Partnership Marat Gatin; Alexey Rybalko, the Head of the Department of Educational Programs and Projects of the Department for Interaction with Religious Associations of the Department of Internal Policy of the Republic of Tatarstan, publis figure and politicians of the Republic of Tatarstan, guests of the International Economical Forum also participated in the Strategic View Group session.
Besides that, the program included introduction to Kazan Seminary life, to educational and missionary projects of that spiritual school. As well, the guests of the Forum enjoyed a possibility to visit the exposition “Islamic Studies Heritage of the Kazan Spiritual Academy” and the photo exhibition dedicated to confessional dialogue in Tatarstan.
Photos: Adel Ibragimova
