Rustam Minnikhanov meets World Ethnosport Confederation President Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan

On 13 May at their meeting in the Government House of the republic, the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and the World Ethnosport Confederation President Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, who came on a working trip to the republic, discussed issues of further cooperation in sports, strengthening of already existing ties and participation in international sports competitions.

Speaking at the meeting, Rustam Minnikhanov thanked his interlocutor for the attention to Tatarstan and emphasized that as the President of the World Ethnosport Confederation Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan does a lot for the development of cultural and sports ties between various ethnicities, including the Turkic speaking countries.

He reminded that Turkey is one of the main trade and economic partners of Tatarstan and said: “Last year our trade turnover with your country made 2.9bn US dollars, having shown the growth of 2.5 times compared to 2022."

The Rais of the republic also expressed his appreciation of the support given to the Koresh (Tatar national belt wrestling) International Federation which is a part of the World Ethnosport Confederation since 2022.

“This kind of sports is unique as it preserves religious and cultural traditions of our people and at the same time is developing dynamically,” he said.

Speaking about the V Nomad Games to be held in Astana in September this year, Rustam Minnikhanov said: “ Taking into consideration the importance of preservation of spiritual values, cultural heritage and resurrection of original national traditions, I am very grateful to you, highly esteemed Mister Erdoğan, for including this kind of wrestling in to the programme of the Games.”

In his turn Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan thanked for the invitation to come to Kazan and stated that he hopes to go to the Great Bolgar during this visit.

Speaking about participation of Turkish delegations in the XV International Economic Forum “Russia-the Islamic World: KazanForum” (which opens tomorrow in Kazan) he said that such events help to strengthen relations between countries.

Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan emphasized that he highly appreciates the contribution of Rustam Minnikhanov into the development of relations between Tatarstan and Turkey and added: “You are creating the environment that facilitates strengthening of ties between Turkic people and between Islamic countries. And KazanForum is the platform uniting them.”

He also reminded that the last forum of the World Ethnosport Confederation was held in Antalya with a Tatarstan delegation also taking part in it. “Every time we organize such events in different places and next year – and we have discussed this already – we are planning to organize it in the Russian Federation, namely in Kazan,” Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan concluded.

Tatarstan Minister of Sports Vladimir Leonov, the Aid to the Rais of Tatarstan Gazinur Bakirov, the Aid to the Rais of the republic – the Chairman of the Regional Branch Council of the All-Russia Public-State movement of children and the youth “The Movement of the first” Timur Suleymanov also took part in the meeting.