On August 8, Tatarstan State Counsellor, Chairman of Trustees Board of “Revival” Regional Foundation Mintimer Shaimiev met with ICOMOS experts Susan Denyer (Great Britain) and Alkiviades Prepis (Greece) within the framework of promotion of Sviyazhsk in UNESCO World Heritage List.
The dossier of the island town of Sviyazhsk was submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 2012 as a mixed cultural and natural complex, and its technical assessment was positive. However, it was decided to consider specialists’ proposals on consulting with ICOMOS experts regarding the nomination criteria.
On August 6, ICOMOS experts arrived in Kazan with a consulting mission by the invitation of Russia, and spent the whole day in Sviyazhsk. They visited cultural and historical monuments, and inspected restoration works.
In the morning ICOMOS experts, Russian and Tatarstan specialists discussed outstanding universal value of Sviyazhsk monuments at UNESCO department.
Mintimer Shaimiev told the guests about development of the republic, priority programmes being implemented, including preservation of historical heritage.
“Your visit and your opinion are very important for us. We really need it. The great work was done in Bolgar, so we have to find the ways to make Sviyazhsk recognizable. Therefore, one foundation was established for two sites. This balance is really important for us. It is a stabilizing factor for our society,” he said.
“We have come by the invitation of Russian Federation and Tatarstan to give our recommendations to World Heritage Committee. I have worked in the organization for 12 years and have seen many changes, including new dialogues being established between ICOMOS, World Heritage Committee and member states. We are very glad to be here and I believe we are doing good work to improve the dossier. We visited Sviyazhsk yesterday, we were told about everything in details. Today’s discussion with your experts was also very important and we are willing to continue the dialogue,” Susan Denyer said.
Alkiviades Prepis, in his turn said: “It is not my first time in Russia, but I am visiting Kazan for the first time. I was impressed by the combination of modern and historical buildings in your beautiful capital. And it goes together with your national peculiarities. Co-existence of two religions is especially important for me. And also I like the policy you conduct in the sphere of preservation of monuments. Historical heritage helps us to understand ourselves and each other.”
On 24 April, speaking at a briefing dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage sites and confined to the International Day of Historical Monuments and Sites held in the Government House of the republic, the Aid to the Rais of Tatarstan Olesya Baltusova informed that in 2024 the Rebus Forum will be held on 14-15 November. She reminded that in the current year the forum will be named “Aglomerations: Experience, Opportunities. Challenges” and will be held with participation of China “as it will take place during the ROSTCI Forum.”
On 24 April Tatarstan Deputy Prime Minister Roman Shaykhutdinov together with speakers and experts, investors, representatives of start-ups and venture funds, large corporations and development institutes took part in events of the “zero” day of the Russian Venture Forum dedicated to the topic of “Technological Entrepreneurship: the space of highest skills.
On 24 April Tatarstan Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Nigmatullin on behalf of the Government of the republic and the Director of the VOIN Center Igor Kazarezov signed an agreement on cooperation between the Government of the republic and the Center, which envisages interaction in issues of patriotic upbringing and military and sports training of youngsters.
On 24 April, speaking at a briefing in the Tatarstan Cabinet of Ministers, the Chairman of the Regional Committee on protection of Cultural Heritage Sites Ivan Guschin informed that in 2024 the Committee initiated historical and cultural expertise of nearly 100 sites and 20 archeological monuments to take them under state protection.