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TATARSTAN: GROWING POINT OF INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PROJECTS

International youth cooperation in Tatarstan over the past two decades is, to all intents and purposes, closely tied to the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia — Islamic World,” created in 2006. Following a decree of Russia’s President Putin, it falls under the leadership of the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov. Since 2007, cooperation with the Youth Forum of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC Youth Forum) has become systematic. Among the flagship projects conducted under its auspices is the Forum of Young Entrepreneurs of OIC Countries, an event that, since 2014, has been held annually as part of the International Economic Forum “Russia — Islamic World: KazanForum.”

The Kazan OIC Youth Entrepreneurship Forum is an annual international gathering aimed at supporting start-ups and entrepreneurial initiatives from OIC member states keen to engage with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tatarstan. The Forum represents a unique platform for forging business ties, exchanging expertise, and developing joint projects—all of which contribute to the region’s economic and social development. Over the years, the Forum has brought together more than 1,000 participants from 60 countries, including OIC member states, observer states, and entrepreneurs from across the globe—all in a pursuit to integrate young professionals from Muslim communities into the global innovation ecosystem.

A notable contribution to strengthening international youth cooperation was the 2013 Summer Universiade, a catalyst for the systematic development of volunteering and volunteerism.

In 2014, to consolidate youth initiatives in international cooperation, the “Academy of Youth Diplomacy” was established. It collaborates with the OIC, BRICS, SCO, the UN Volunteers, the Council of Young Diplomats of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Asian Mayors Forum, among others. The Academy’s work fosters systematic engagement with international organisations and youth associations, and enhances Tatarstan’s involvement with major international forums, summits, and conferences, while shaping an objective image of the republic as a modern and innovative hub. Annually, the Academy delivers projects such as the OIC Forum of Young Diplomats, BRICS and OIC Project Schools, the Republic’s “Young Diplomats” contest, the “Summer University” of Kazan Federal University, the International Congress of Young Architects and Designers, and others.

The OIC Forum of Young Diplomats—an annual event organized by the Academy of Youth Diplomacy in Kazan since 2016—stands as a unique international platform launched by the Council of Young Diplomats of the Russian Foreign Ministry with the support of Tatarstan’s leadership. At its core lies the concept of “horizontal diplomacy”—building informal and trust-based ties among young diplomats who will, in time, shape the agenda of relations between their respective countries. The event traditionally takes place as part of the International Economic Forum “Russia –IslamicWorld:KazanForum.”Over the years, the platform has brought together over 600 young professionals from dozens of foreign ministries, spanning virtually all regions of the Islamic world: the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. The Forum saw an International Association of Young Diplomats established on its margins.

A landmark achievement of Tatarstan’s youth policy came in 2022, when Kazan was named Youth Capital of the OIC. The Republic organised ten major international youth events, drawing over 2,000 participants from more than 70 countries. These included the Congress of Young Scientists, the Festival of Modern Muslim Culture, and the Kazan Global Youth Summit.

Today, the Summit is held annually as an international educational and expert platform for exchanging best practices in working with young people across education, culture, and media. Each year, it brings together relevant senior ministers and officials, youth leaders, diplomats, experts, and practitioners to tackle the pressing issues of our time. The theme for 2026 is “Education in an Era of Global people in Russia and abroad, bringing nations closer together and offering deeper insight into diverse cultures and nationality-related traits in children and youth. Club activities include joint online meetings between schools and other youth organisations in Russia and partner countries, aimed at exploring different cultures, the fundamentals of diplomacy, and international relations. The initiative runs developmental programmes, conversation clubs, online photo and video contests, quizzes, as well as “Pen Pal” and “Secret Friend” campaigns.

Changes: Human Resources for Sustainable Development.” The Republic’s successful track record in fostering international youth cooperation has earned recognition at the federal level. In 2023, the All-Russia Public State Movement of Children and Youth “Movement of the First” resolved to designate Tatarstan astheregion’s“growingpoint”forimplementing its flagship international project, “Diplomacy School Clubs.” The project serves to foster systemic, multilateral ties among young Initially launched in the 2024/25 academic year, the project engaged 2,400 participants from 27 regions of Russia and 17 countries worldwide. From April to June 2025, it involved 190 clubs across 60 regions of Russia, spanning a further 23 countries: Abkhazia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, Transnistria, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.

The second season attracted nearly 4,000 participants from over 60 regions of Russia and 27 countries worldwide.

International youth and children’s camps are another effective vehicle for fostering international youth collaboration. In Tatarstan, the tradition of hosting international themed sessions—both at home and abroad—has been well-established over the past two decades. A fine example is the international sessions of the “Selet” Youth Movement in Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, and Prague, as well as those organised by the League of Students of the Republic of Tatarstan in Türkiye and Greece.

With the “Movement of the First” established, the initiative became systemic through the “Friends” camps. The inaugural session of the International Youth Camp “Friends” took place in August 2023 at Innopolis and lasted for ten days. The main tracks were tourism, media, diplomacy, culture, and the arts. Its aim was to unite children, young people, and their mentors—including those from abroad—around shared values and universal humanitarian challenges. The event drew 200 teenagers, half among them foreign delegates from 11 countries: Algeria, Brazil, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Russia, South Africa, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.

A new session of the “Friends” camp was held in the autumn of 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The project was organised following a visit by Rustam Minnikhanov, Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, to Kuala Lumpur and the International Youth Centre in December 2024. Its objective was to nurture cooperation between the youth of Tatarstan and Malaysia, strengthen cultural and educational ties, and cultivate skills in intercultural dialogue and teamwork. The event welcomed 100 delegates from Tatarstan—young people aged 14 to 17 and their counsellors—all of whom had successfully navigated through a competitive selection and preparatory training.

The Kazan stage held on August 7–11, 2025, laid the groundwork for the Kuala Lumpur session, bringing together 15 school students from Tatarstan and 17 representatives from Malaysian youth and educational institutions. Participants co-designed the content for the forthcoming camp and met with the Head of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, and His Majesty the King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim.

Over the past two decades, the Republic of Tatarstan has built a distinctive, multi-tiered system of international youth cooperation, uniting dozens of countries and thousands of participants. From forums and summits to school diplomacy clubs and international camps, the region has consistently forged a space of trust, dialogue, and joint creation. This systematic approach, endorsed at the federal level and acknowledged by international partners, lays a robust foundation for sustainable development, wherein young people are not merely participants but architects of our shared future.