Ministers of Culture of TURKSOY member countries and representatives of international organizations who came to Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, to attend the 32nd term Meeting of the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture of Turkic Speaking Countries and take part in the closing ceremony of Kazan, the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2014, were welcomed by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustem Minnihanov in his office on November 21st, 2014.

Mr. Minnihanov who extended his gratitude to the ministers and their delegations at the meeting which took place in the Government Building of the Republic of Tatarstan (RF), said: "All our joint efforts aim at the development of the mutual cooperation among our member states as well as at the promotion and transmission of our rich cultural heritage to future generations. After  Astana and Eskisehir, our city has been the third one to receive the title of Cultural Capital of the Turkic World. As a country where people of different beliefs live together in peace, this title beseemed Tatarstan  very well. We have attached great importance to this title and I believe that we have also proven this through all events and activities we have been carrying out throughout the year. Our cultural cooperation is growing stonger everyday. It has been a great honour for us to welcome hundreds of scholars and artits in kazan within this framework. I am strongly convinced that the recent signature of a memorandum of understanding between TURKSOY and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation  will contribute to an even greater cooperation. Indeed, in his congratulation message to the 32nd Term Meeting of the Permanent Council of Ministers of Culture of Turkic Speaking Countries,  the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinski expressly stressed the key-role played by TURKSOY in the development of cultural and social ties and added that the scope of this cooperation initiated by TURKSOY in the field of social and cultural activities is getting larger everyday, also covering other fields of activity such as eductaion.”

TURKSOY Secretary General Dusen Kaseinov who also  took the floor at the meeting, said that the current status of develoment reached by Tatarstan  is being strongly appreciated by Ministers of Culture of  TURKSOY member countries and therefore extended his gratitude to the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustem Minnihanov as well as to the Government of Tatarstan (RF) for their valuable contribution to events carried out in Kazan within the framework of the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2014. TURKSOY Secretary General Dusen Kaseinov further said: "Kazan has been the rising star of the Turkic World throughout all events and activities it hosted as  the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2014. This star will go on shining just as brightly in the coming years. With this successful experience, the city of Kazan has also proven that it will easily host any world-scale event. Let me finally say that both TURKSOY as well as all representatives of the Turkic World will always be happy to cooperate with the beautiful city of Kazan. ”

Following the speeches,  TURKSOY Secretary General  Dusen Kaseinov extended the certificate of Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2014 to  Rustem Minnihanov and handed over the Honour Medal of TURKSOY to him in recognition of his valuable contribution to the development and promotion of Turkic culture and art.