September 11-12, First Deputy Executive Committee of World Congress of Tatars Danis Shakirov and Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of the WCL on work with organizations of the Tatars in the near and far abroad Radik Mullagaliev participated in an inauguration of the Center of Culture of Nemezhansky Tatar community of the Vilnius krai of the Republic of Lithuania and the festival “Sabantui.”

These events were also dated to an extended meeting of the heads of Tatar public organizations of Lithuania, as well as countries of the Baltic region, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Finland, the Republic of Belarus, the scientific and practical conference devoted to the history of the Tatars of Lithuania with the participation of doctors Galina Mishkiniene, Libertas Klimko Egdunasa Rachyusa, director of the Center of Islamic Culture Aleksandras Beganskasa, Attaché for Religious Affairs of the Turkish Embassy in Lithuania Ibrahim Ceylan, representatives of Tatarstan and Tatar organizations. During the conference Dnis Shakirov made a presentation on the role and achievements of the World Congress of Tatars in strengthening intercultural relations between Tatars living in different countries.

The opening of the Centre started with the welcome speech by Chairman of the Tatar organization of Nemezhis Tahir Kuznetsov. He said in his speech that the event could take place thanks to the sincere intentions of living here Tatars to preserve and increase heritage of their people, their spiritual values based on love for the national traditions. They were awarded diplomas as direct participants of reviving the Tatar center. “Because of their emotional outbursts, labor selflessness, charity, we celebrate the opening of our center,” – said Tahir Kuznetsov. “You can see here the members of the European Parliament, the national seim of Lithuania, the mayor’s office of the Vilnius region, leaders of Islamic organizations in Lithuania, heads of embassies of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus, representatives of the Executive Committee of World Congress of Tatars, the Lithuanian universities and representatives of national and cultural organizations of the Tatars of the Baltic States. Each of them has contributed to our success! “- he concluded. Especially, Nemezhansky community leader expressed his gratitude to the representative of the European Parliament Waldemar Tomaszewski and the Ambassador of Turkey to Lithuania Aidan Yamankan, the mayor of Vilnius region Rekst Mary, who assumed the basic costs of construction of the center of culture.

For about 2 hours, the arriving guests congratulated Nemezhansky Tatar community and handed housewarming gifts. For his selfless devotion to the Tatar people Tahir Kuznetsov was marked by gratitude of the President of

Tatarstan R.N. Minnikhanov and valuable gift on behalf of the Chairman of the Board of the World Congress of Tatars R.Z. Zakirov. Honorary diplomas and presents from Executive Committee of World Congress of Tatars were encouraged Galina Mishkiniene, Zinaida Mukharsky, Alik Melekh. In honor of the arriving guests d the national flags of the Republic of Lithuania, Tatarstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, as well as a commemorative flag of Nemezhanski Tatar communitywere hoisted. “With this flag, we do not depart from the 90-ies of the last century. With it, we have protected our mosque, defended the independence of our country, “- said T.Kuznetsov. The official part of the event continued a magnificent concert, which was also attended by artists of the Republic of Tatarstan Dinar Baitemirov, Malika Razzakova. At the same time on the Maidan, Sabantui gala events and contests among residents and visitors were held. A huge cauldron of plov, various national delicacies saturated each of the participants of this great holiday.

Today, the eyes of guests arriving to Nemezhis, besides the newly built two-storey white buildings of Cultural Center see located side by side, one of the oldest buildings of the Vilnius region – Nemezhansky mosque, founded in the first period of settlement of the land by the Tatars in the 16th century. As you know, in the neighborhood of them survived another mosque in the village of “Forty Tatars”, which also last year opened a center of culture of the Tatars. Location of the Tatar villages is not accidental. They are located on the border of Vilnius, the first crushing the attacks of foreign enemies Principality of

Lithuania. For their bravery and courage by order of duke Vytautas, the Lithuanian Tatars were given land for permanent use.

In recognition of this settlement headman Vladimisha Sipovich Tatar Cultural Center became the first and only building culture of Nemezhis of such scale magnitude and will be a center of attraction for all its citizens of any nationality.