Rustam Minnikhanov at a ceremony of unveiling a monument to a singer Rashit Vagapov: He became a founder of national concert art and a beloved singer of Tatars

On 30 August Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Russian Minister of Construction Irek Fayzullin, Deputy Governor of Nizhniy Novgorod region Oleg Berkovich, Director of the Tatarstan public fund of Tatar culture after Rashit Vagapov Rifat Fattakhov, Honorary Architect of Russian Federation German Bakulin and others took part in a ceremony of unveiling a monument to a Tatar signer and a founder of the professional Tatar pop-art Rashid Vagapov erected in the garden of  the Tatar Philharmonic Society in Kazan.

Speaking at the ceremony, Rustam Minnikhanov thanked everybody who worked for opening of this monument. He addressed special words of gratitude to the team of the Fund after R. Vagapov for their work aimed at promotion of Tatar culture and their personal involvement. “We are grateful to a delegation from Nizhniy Novgorod, where the singer was born, for the attention paid to creative work of Vagapov. The choice of the place for the monument was also not a matter of chance as it was in Philharmonics that the signer started his work. During the WWII Rashit Vagapov went to the fronts to give concerts and raise the military spirit. He is inscribed into the history of Tatar culture as a bright original performer. He dedicated all his creative work to serving people,” Tatarstan President said and noted that Rashit Vagapov became a founder of national concert art and - most important - a beloved singer of Tatars.

In his turn Deputy Governor of Nizhniy Novgorod region Oleg Berkovich said it was a great honor to be present at the ceremony. “On behalf of the government of Nizhniy Novgorod region and of the Governor I am passing words of gratitude for the contribution into multi-ethnic culture. Rashit Vagapov is an important hero for us too, one of the symbols of community of Nizhniy Novgorod and Tatarstan. And it is not just a geographical neighbourhood but history and deep historical ties” he said, congratulated Tatarstan residents with the Day of the Republic and wished them prosperity.