Rustam Minnikhanov: “Tatarstan culture has a huge potential”

On January 27, speaking at a extended session of the Minister of Culture of the republic Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov said that the Tatarstan culture has developed very over the past years, but today new ambitious tasks should be set.

Making a report at the meeting, Tatarstan Minister of Culture Airat Sibagatullin said that 2014 was full of cultural events, marking the Year of Culture in Russia and in Tatarstan, inclusion of Bolgar in the UNESCO World Heritage list. In 2014 Kazan was titled the cultural capital of the Turkic world, the Musa Jalil Opera and Ballet Theatre celebrated its140th anniversary.

According to the Minister, for the last 2 years the average wages have increased by 76 per cent in the industry in Tatarstan. In 2014, 71 cultural institutions were repaired and reconstructed, 51 new buildings were built, including 47 rural clubs. Twenty five sites of cultural heritage were reconstructed.

One of the developers of the strategy of social and economic development of Tatarstan till 2030 - Director of the Center for Applied Economic Research of the Higher School of Economics Tatyana Abankina made a report on development of the cultural industry within the framework of the strategy implementation. According to her, the strategy developers considered the culture as an important element of the human capital development. Also, the strategy envisages using the culture to attract tourists to Tatarstan.

According to Minnikhanov, the Year of Culture was successfully held in Russia and Tatarstan. “We showed the identity of our country and its peoples,” he said.

“I believe that Tatarstan culture has a huge potential. Much has been done last year, but much remains to be done. Your industry is doing a lot for the spiritual enrichment of people. I would like to thank the staff of the Ministry of Culture of the republic for their work and wish them further success,” Minnikhanov summed up.