Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikahnov attends federal Sabantui in Izhevsk

July 3, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov took part in the federal festival of Sabantui that was celebrated in Izhevsk, the Udmurt Republic this year.

Udmurt President Aleksandr Volkov, Head of the Nizhnekamsk Municipal District Aidar Metshin, representatives of the World Congress of Tatars also attended the festival.

Delegations of as many as 40 Russian regions gathered in Izhevsk to take part in Sabantui. The main arena of the festival was Kirov Park. Udmurt creative groups greeted guests at the central entrance offering traditional Tatar dessert chak-chak.

“On behalf of the leadership of the republic and on my own behalf I warmly and heartily welcome everybody to the hospitable Udmurt land where Tatars have always felt themselves at home. That will continue to be so. Our ancestors have left us their heritage: to live in peace and concord,” Aleksandr Volkov said.

Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov praised the high level of the organization of the festival and thanked the Udmurt leadership for perfect organization of Sabantui. “Today, we are celebrating federal Sabantui for the tenth time. It’s not only the Tatar national festival, but also the festival that unites us all,” the head of Tatarstan emphasized.

In 2011, Sabantui, the Russian festival of the plough, will be held in the Tyumen Region.