President of Tatarstan meets with ICCROM experts at the Kazan Kremlin

President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov has met with experts of the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and members of the delegation from Central Macedonia (Greece).

Russian Minister of culture Vladimir Medinsky, Senior Secretary of the RF Commission for UNESCO affairs Grigory Ordzhonikidze, Chairman of the Russian national committee of the World cultural and natural heritage under the RF Commission for UNESCO affairs Igor Makovetsky, Tatarstan’s State Counselor Mintimer Shaimiev, Aide to the Tatarstan President on social issues Tatyana Larionova, Tatarstan’s Minister of culture Airat Sibagatullin participated in the meeting.

To the point, on October 31 ICCROM experts – Director General Stefano De Caro, special adviser of Director General of the United Nations Organisation on issues of education, science and culture Munir Bushenaki visited the island town of Sviyazhsk and on November 1 – the city of Bolgar. Vice-governor of Central Macedonia Kostas Karapanagiotidis also participated in the excursions.

After studying methods of restoration works in Sviyazhsk and Bolgar they will pass their final statement to the World Heritage Committee. Members of the Committee will consider the issues of including these objects in UNESCO World heritage list.

Today’s meeting was opened by Vladimir Medinsky. The Russian Minister of culture noted that Kazan is a unique territory of the universal importance.

The Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov noted that for the last few years a great deal had been done in the sphere of cultural heritage preservation in republic.

“We show to the entire world how different nationalities can live peacefully together. We want Sviyazhsk and Bolgar to obtain the global status, and we will do our best and fulfill all recommendations. It is very important for us,” Rustam Minnikhanov said.

Rustam Minnikhanov thanked everyone for joint work and especially guests for paying much attention to Tatarstan.