Large-scale Sabantui celebrations held in Kazan

On June 21, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev, Governor of Sverdlovsk region Evgeny Kuivashev, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbaş and other officials took part in solemn Sabantui celebrations in Mirny towhship in Kazan. Many thousands of citizens and guests of Kazan attended the festival as well.

The visit of the honoured guests began with a tour of traditional national Sabantui farmsteads prepared by Tatarstan municipal regions. Rustam Minnikhanov and Nikolai Patrushev visited national farmsteads of Kukmor and Rybnaya Sloboda regions, where they saw craftsmen at work. At the Laishevo region’s yard, Patryshev tried his hand at playing a Russian game “Gorodki” and knocked out a figure at the first throw.

Taking their seats at the stand, the honoured guests watched the theatrical performance on a large stage. Then, they welcomed the guests of the festival.

Speaking at the event, Nikolai Patrushev said that representative from 61 countries – participants of the International meeting of high-ranking officials responsible for security matters are present at Sabantui celebrations in Kazan. Nikolai Patrushev thanked the regional leadership for their hospitality on behalf of all participants of the meeting and expressed his admiration for what he saw at Sabantui.

Welcoming the guests, Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbaş admitted that he is glad to be at Sabantui and share the joy of the holiday with the others.

Rustam Minnikhanov also welcomed the guests and wished them to have a beautiful holiday and pleasant impressions of Sabantui. "We are very pleased to be here with you," Rustam Minnikhanov said, addressing everybody present at the holiday.

He also thanked Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbaş for celebrating Sabantui in the very heart of this ancient city.

After the solemn part of the festival, Tatarstan President held a number of meetings with foreign honoured guests of the holiday.

At his meeting with Mayor of Istanbul, Rustam Minnikhanov thanked Kadir Topbas for his attention paid to Tatars and all Turkic peoples, living in the city.

At his meeting with President of the Regional Council of Provence - Alpes - Cote d'Azur Michel Vauzelle, Rustam Minnikhanov touched upon issues related to business cooperation between Tatarstan and Provence - Alpes - Cote d'Azur, which is one of the most technologically developed regions of France. Michel Vauzelle, in his turn, said that cooperation between the two regions has great prospects.

Finally, at a meeting with Mayor of Mersin (Turkey) Burhanettin Kocamaz, the parties noted the importance of such events as Sabantui. "Sabantui is a very important holiday, it helps to maintain the traditions and culture of the people," Mayor of Mersin said, adding that many national traditions have been lost in Turkey, but now they are trying to revive them.