“Tatar youth is active, and it helps in shaping public opinion”

August 10, 2018

How the main forum of young Tatars will develop further.

The journalist of the KazanFirst editorial office, Lyaysan Kadyrova, asked  chairman of the World Forum of Tatar youth Tabris Yarullin about the future of this platform,

summed up the results of the event together with him and found out who better not to call for such events.

– How do you think whether the  forum was a success?

– It seems to me that the forum was a success. Yesterday was a day of reflection. Together with all the organizers, the whole team, we sorted out what could be corrected, something that could be done differently. Someone cried over the overload, from the fact that there was a lot of work entrusted to their shoulders. Someone expressed their suggestions. In general, everyone has  marked . Of course, there were shortcomings. They always happen when it comes to such large-scale events. On the day of discussion platforms, we probably needed to prepare more specialized topics. We also could not divide people into groups on these platforms  in advance. People fell on the topic either on their own or by accident. It seems to me that this was one of the shortcomings of our work. We ourselves would like to conduct a selection of delegates for the forum. But since they are elected in the regions, we do not interfere in this matter. The principle is democratic. Then it would be desirable, that and on open registration more people came. If to hold the next forum, so that an official  part would be  at the minimum, and educational – at the maximum.

– Five days – is it much or little for the forum?

– It’s a lot for us (laughs). I think if the forum is educational, then three days would be enough. The plenary session takes a long time. It always consists of two parts and is divided into two days. In addition, the whole electoral procedure is part of the work of the meeting. It also adopts a resolution, proposals to it, and the Council of the Forum is approved. If we did all this in one day, then a person would have to sit for about five hours. This is a great ordeal.

– After talking with the numerous participants of the forum, it turns out that the program for many is already familiar and in many respects repeats itself. Was there anything completely new this year?

– The forum is a format where it’s difficult to think of something new. We try to change it in content. This year, regions and countries  have been  involved in this matter. So that they also  do something. And it seems to me that over time their role will increase not only in filling the forum with content, but also in organizational matters.

And so, the cultural program, a trip to Bolgar, Arsk – it all is repeated. Because Bolgar is renewed every year and most of the participants have never been to this town. They go to Arsk to perform. Not all after all at a forum come  with lectures and projects. Someone wants to show their creative abilities. It is difficult to surprise only those who are bringing  with them   newcomers here. They have seen it all over and over again.

– And yet, what to do with those who participate in the forum for the sixth time? Why even invite the same?

– There were not so many – two or three people. It happens that multiple forum participants are responsible for their delegation. Usually they are leaders of any youth organizations, they have a lot of experience and they are well versed in their business.

– Who deals with the logistics of the forum? Why was lunch at one end of the city, and the event in the other and had to spend a lot of time on the bus?

– Actually, we did not spend much time on the bus. Almost everything took place at the Universiade Village(UV), only  a plenary session   we held  in Korston. And even it could be organized at  the  UV. This is a very convenient platform. When you live in the Universiade Village, it is logical that you are traveling from the other end of the city. Well,  would  delegates  live at  the hotel. It is impossible to find a thousand places  in one hotel. They would live 100-200 people far from each other. And at the UV  they were all together in two houses. Cool, of course, if they were accommodated in the barracks for 20 people. It seems to me, it would be cool if we and the tent version  worked  out.

I agree only with the fact that some things need to be concentrated more in one place. You need more open spaces. And when there is such a rich program, you always have to travel back and forth.

For example, we prepared a special excursion for the delegates to  the Old-Tatar Sloboda. It was not a typical standard excursion. Historical objects were featured  by the residents or employees of the settlement. It was necessary to negotiate with each of them. Even the imams would stand  and tell. Why can not I drive 15 minutes by bus? I would eagerly absorb the things that were only told to me at the place of the delegate. There were a lot of positive reviews. I wrote a lot personally, wrote posts. I have not received such feedback during other events. There were standard thanks, but not in that amount.

– Some participants considered  that the forum does not have enough volunteers to at least prompt the way.

– There were  volunteers , we  would call them the curators of delegations. In all, there were about 30 people. To be honest, I sometimes marvel at youth. Why do they need curators? Our curators are a Google-card or any other program. Often approached me at the time when on the phone I had a million calls, I urgently need to think about something, think about the program and so on, and they approach me and ask: “And where is the NCC(National Cultural Center)?”. It seems to me that such delegates, who do not know how to use the card, do not need to be called next time. In the end, there were curators on it, they could  phone at any time and ask them where to go and what will happen next. Although for our answers to these questions our program is very detailed. Despite all this, there are always people who complain about disorganization. I went out, but there is no bus, they tell me. I ask, what time did you leave? At eight? And on the program you should have been at 6:30. There are people who would like each step to accompany them. It seems to me that the absolute majority of the forum did not need any volunteers or curators. The fact that we, for example, selected 20 out of 50 projects for the “The Alley of Projects”, tormented all these 50 organizations with all kinds of questions, requests to send video and photos, increases the involvement in the forum much more than volunteers who show the way.

– By the way, about the “The  Alley of Projects”. At the exhibition itself, with already selected projects, several of them were presented, which have long been realized and are well known among the Tatar youth. For example, “Pechin bazaar”, which is held for the sixth time, or “Min Tatarcha soilsham” – in the thirteenth. Why they are from 50? For what purpose do you represent them again?

– We just took a couple of projects of the forum itself. This is so that other regions too can get acquainted with this idea and make the same in themselves. “Pechen bazaar” came to the point when they say to us: “We also want to do this,” and we want to support this interest. Yes, we have been conducting some of them for several years already, but many of the delegates were at the festival “Pechen bazaar” for the first time. Yes, not regarding the delegates, there were Kazaners who told me that for the first time came  here. It is foolish not to take advantage of the chance to spread projects later in their regions. “Min tatarcha soylesham” is the same. Last year this action was held at  about 10 regions. We want to cover even greater geography. Therefore, I believe that they are more than appropriate in the “Alley   of Projects”.

– How much has the language situation in the forum changed compared to past similar events? Wherever I sit, wherever it comes, except for the platform of Ayrat Fayzrakhmanov, there is not much talk in Tatar. Was it like this before?

– Yes it was. But about everywhere you exaggerate. Not everywhere. It seems to me that this is the Tatar forum among all the Tatar forums. What other forum can you name, where at the plenary session only speak  Tatar?

– There was one speech in the Russian language at the plenary session.

– It  can not be. Aah, you’re talking about Artem Malykh. He is Udmurt. From the Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples. He only said a welcome word. But we have a normal attitude to this. All the same, there were platforms  where only the Tatar language was spoken. For example, the platform  of Tatarstan and foreign countries. As for me, not everything is so bad, not everything is lost.

– In 2016, the forum included the work of 114 youth organizations. How many  there  were  in 2018?

– Now there were about 130 such organizations.

– Were there any new delegations?

– Yes they were. They came for the first time from Switzerland. One man. For European countries, two or three people – this is not bad. There were four people from Great Britain. And  the Far East. I do not remember that they were before. The Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District  arrived. I do not remember anymore. There  were new people.

– Which delegates were the most active?

– Moscow, Moscow region, Bashkortostan. Active guys from regions where there are strong public organizations. Two years ago, Moscow criticized us. “We want to dig deeper, we want interaction and greater involvement,” they said. And within two years we have built very good relations with the youth of Moscow and Ufa. Moscow was everywhere. We invited them to the venues as experts, and they put forward their projects on “the Alley”. And in terms of organization they are good. Moscow and the Moscow region had their own curators, from their delegations. They met with us before the forum. I think they were the most involved. If we organize the forum next time, then together with Moscow and Ufa.

– Among the most active delegates elected “Yash ilchel” (“Young ambassadors”) and the Council of a forum of 50 people. What is the difference between group responsibilities?

– The Council  of the forum is a public function. Yash ilche is a representative function. The difference for a man in the street is not so great, but for me it is obvious. The Council includes representatives of various public organizations. We  constantly communicate  with them  and together make decisions. We write appeals, open letters. It’s one thing when we sign letters “So consider  Tabriz, Airat and Marat,” but it’s another thing when you do all this on behalf of many public organizations. We – the Tatar youth – are active in many regions and countries, so it is not a sin to take advantage of this. This is our advantage when we   shape public opinion. The main thing is to see each other a couple of times a year, discuss problems and issues.

“Yash ilchelor” is not necessarily a person from the organization. It can be a young scientist or specialist in one of the fields of activity. These people talk about Tatars and Tatarstan to students, to the public, to listeners or observers in the youth organizations of their countries and regions.

– In addition to “Yash ilchel’r” and members of the Board of the Forum, the chairman of the forum was also elected.

Congratulations on your “new” position. There were rumors at the forum that two years later Tabriz Yarullin  would leave  the Congress. It’s true?

– It will be visible (laughs). I like social work very much. To be elected again to the chairman in two years – it seems to me that it is almost impossible and indecent. I think it’s not so important whether I will be chairman in two years or not. As  chairman’s name is now – Tabris, Ilnur or Guzalia – it does not matter either. The only important thing is that we should  work as a team and  continue to work until our disciples  support   our  course  completely. Continuity should be preserved.

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