The official opening ceremony of the year “Kazan — Cultural Capital of the Islamic World” will take place on May 14, 2026, according to the Head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.

The celebratory events will be held as part of the international economic forum “Russia — Islamic World: KazanForum.”

Among the key events planned for Kazan as the future Cultural Capital of the Islamic World are an international Qur’an recitation competition, a forum on the preservation of linguistic diversity with the participation of experts from various countries, the celebration of the Izge Bolgar Zhyeny dedicated to the Day of the Official Adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria, an international olympiad in Islamic studies and the Arabic language, and other events.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the selection of Kazan as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World in 2026 as well deserved, TASS reports.

According to him, Kazan is a vibrant and distinctive city, a crossroads of cultures and religions, where representatives of different nationalities and faiths have lived in peace and harmony for centuries.

The honorary status of the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World in 2026 was awarded to Kazan at the 13th Conference of Ministers of Culture of the Islamic World Organization for Education, Science, and Culture, held in February 2025 in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).

Source: mincult.tatarstan.ru