Kazan declared the cultural capital of the Islamic world in 2026

The city of Kazan has been recognized as the cultural capital of the Islamic world in 2026. This decision was made by the ministers of culture of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries at a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This was announced by the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov.

The status of the Cultural Capital implies that Kazan will host events aimed at developing the scientific and cultural heritage of Islamic civilization. At the same time, Kazan is the first Russian city to be awarded this title, which is of particular importance.

Historically, the oldest city associated with Islam on the territory of Russia is Derbent, with a history of 5,000 years. However, it was in Tatarstan that Islam was officially adopted as the state religion. This process occurred when the ruler and tribal leaders of the Volga Bulgaria voluntarily converted to Islam.

From a broader geopolitical perspective, this decision is significant as a continuation of Russia's policy of strengthening its position in the Islamic world. Russian President Vladimir Putin described Russia as "part of the Islamic world" in Malaysia in 2003. Later initiatives such as the protection of the Quran and the celebration of the 1,100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam also aimed at this goal.