Kazan has not let go of the BRICS agenda, said Minister of Youth of Tatarstan Rinat Sadykov. Today, 30 October, the programme of the meeting of the Youth Council of the association started in the capital of the republic. The official opening took place on 30 October, while the arrival of participants and registration are underway. More than 30 delegates from South Africa, the UAE, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran and Saudi Arabia confirmed their participation in the meeting of the council.

Representatives of relevant ministries and international youth associations arrived in the city. The Russian delegation, in addition to the head of the Tatarstan Ministry of Youth, was represented by the head of the international activities department of the youth projects and programmes department of Rosmolodyozh agency for youth affairs Valeriya Chernogorodova, deputy head of the project office of Russia — BRICS international cooperation Diana Kovela and other officials. The meeting participants were going to discuss how to integrate the provisions of the Kazan Declaration of the BRICS Summit into joint youth initiatives.

“In the Kazan Declaration, in addition to trade, economic, diplomatic relations, the red line runs through the possibility of organising and the need to hold events in the field of humanitarian policy between the countries. Here, youth as the main driver of all cultural, student exchanges, exchanges in the field of education, sports is the driving force,” Minister of Youth of Tatarstan said at a press conference.

In addition, a roadmap for the youth agenda of the BRICS countries for 2025 will be developed within the framework of the meeting. The agenda also includes joint youth projects of the member countries of the association. As Sadykov stressed, Russia, in particular Tatarstan, is distinguished by a strong scientific school, and integration of youth into educational projects will be one of the areas of work.

“Humanitarian exchanges are the second field where young people can come to other countries, get acquainted with projects that currently exist at the state level or that are implemented by NGOs. All BRICS countries have a large, deep culture, traditions that we can introduce to young people,” said the head of the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the republic.

Among other topics that the delegates will touch upon are the development of sports, technologies in the field of health preservation and a healthy lifestyle and ecology. During the meeting, the participants will take the opportunity to discuss bilateral cooperation, added Chairperson of the Academy of Youth Diplomacy Dilbar Sadykova. For example, youth tracks are planned to be held at ROSTKI: Russia and China, which will be held in Kazan on 13-15 November. A similar platform is planned for KazanForum.

“At KazanForum, diplomats and entrepreneurs are the participants, at ROSTKI, we are also planning a track on entrepreneurs. I hope we will be able to discuss these issues, especially since the programme is just being formed,” she noted.

The meeting will be held in person for the first time

The BRICS Youth Council was established only last year as part of the South African presidency, Sadykov said. The first meeting was held online, but in Kazan, the participants will meet in person.

It should be reminded that back in March, Tatarstan’s Rais Rustam Minnikhanov discussed the importance of developing youth diplomacy at the BRICS Summit at a meeting with delegates of the World Youth Festival. According to Sadykov, the head of the republic supported the joint initiative of Rosmolodyozh and foreign guests to hold a meeting of the Youth Council in Kazan after the meeting of the heads of the association.