On May 16, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov met with representatives of Global Shapers Community of the World economic forum at the high-tech park “IT Park” in Kazan.

The Global Shapers (leaders) Community it is an active international platform to involve young leaders in global processes and joint initiatives. The purpose of the association is to create a community of leaders of the future, which will promote the ideas and principles of tolerance for the sake of the beneficial economic and social climate in the world. A leader aged from 20 to 33 years old, who can speak English and is involved in socially significant projects, can become a member of the community, a shaper. Today, there are more than 3,000 young leaders from around the world, who work at corporations, run social enterprises, are politicians, hold senior positions in the media, represent non-governmental organizations, providing constructive cooperation between the state and society, are involved in the Global Shapers Community. The Global Shapers Community is included in the programme of the World Economic Forum to integrate young leaders with representatives of the global elite.

During his meeting with shapers, Tatarstan President answered a number of questions relating to further economic development of the republic in IT, interaction with the Tatar communities in the regions and diasporas outside Russia, and also shared his thoughts about the promotion of the youth up the career ladder, use of the potential of global shapers in the implementation of joint projects.

In particular, Rustam Minnikhanov presented projects that help uniting Tatars around the world and preserving the language, culture and traditions. They are a satellite TV channel "TNV - Planet", a Tatar cultural and educational channel, bringing together representatives of the nation, living in Russian regions, CIS countries and abroad, and “Ana Tele” online programme for studying the Tatar language. According to Rustam Minnikhanov, the World Congress of Tatars is one of the organizations that aims at uniting Tatars from around the world. Today it is important to help the Tatars living abroad and in other Russian regions to preserve the Tatar language, culture, and traditions, he said.

Tatarstan President also said that in any business trips, both to the CIS countries and Russian regions, representatives of Tatarstan meet with activists of Tatar communities and diasporas, involve them in joint projects.

Rustam Minnikhanov said that today there are 22 representative offices of the Republic of Tatarstan and 14 offices worldwide. "We use every opportunity to have contacts with the Tatars throughout the world," he said.

Telling about projects in the IT sphere, which have been already implemented and are being implemented in the country, Rustam Minnikhanov pointed out such projects as "E-Tatarstan” and "E-Government”.

Furthermore, Rustam Minnikhanov said that today software products developed in Tatarstan, have been implemented and used in more than 50 regions.

Tatarstan President also noted that the representatives of the republic, visiting other regions, always use the opportunity to learn something new from their colleagues.

In more detail, Rustam Minnikhanov told the representatives of the Global Shapers Community about the innovative satellite city "Innopolis", a federal project, being implemented in Tatarstan.

Summing up, Tatarstan President thanked the Global Shapers Community for their interest in Kazan, their help in maintaining close contacts with the Davos Forum. The World Economic Forum is a very interesting platform and we will continue our cooperation, Rustam Minnikhanov said.