Rustam Minnikhanov meets activists of the Tatar community living in Tajikistan

On March 19, at the end of the first day of his working visit to Tajikistan, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov had a meeting with activists of the local Tatar community.

Children and active youth of the Tatar-Bashkir cultural centre performed at the meeting. At the end of the meeting, community activists received Letters of acknowledgement of President of the Republic of Tatarstan and memorable gifts.

Today, about 17,000 of our compatriots live in Tajikistan. Long before the October Revolution, Tatar merchants founded a manufactory there and carried on active trade. After the revolution, during the period of construction of industrial facilities, many Tatar families moved to Tajikistan. By 1985, the number of Tatars was predominant compared to other ethnic groups. They worked in all sectors of the national economy and made a great contribution to the development of science and culture, industry and the national economy of Tajikistan.

The Duslyk Tatar-Bashkir social and cultural centre was established in Dushanbe in 1991 and is the main facility to organize national and cultural events for Tatars living in Tajikistan.

The Executive Committee of the World Congress of Tatars has close ties with the Tatar Diaspora of Tajikistan. Representatives of the Tatar diaspora take part in all events held by the World Congress of Tatars. Tatarstan also provides assistance in admitting to universities in Kazan. Every year, about 20-30 of our compatriots from Tajikistan enter universities in Tatarstan.