Russia to Host Global Economic Forum KazanForum 2026 Again
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Russia will once again host the International Economic Forum “Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum 2026”, which is scheduled to take place in Kazan, Tatarstan, from 12 to 17 May, according to the Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Tolchenov.
In an exclusive interview with ANTARA in Jakarta on Wednesday, Tolchenov stated that KazanForum 2026 will focus on various Islamic economic issues, including Sharia banking.
“The KazanForum international economic forum will be held again with a focus on various Islamic economic issues, ranging from Sharia banking, halal industries, to Muslim fashion and moderation,” said Tolchenov.
According to him, the organisers invite many delegations from Indonesia each year. At KazanForum 2025, Culture Minister Fadli Zon attended along with several other representatives from various sectors.
“This year, Indonesia’s participation is again receiving special attention. The organisers consider the presence of the Indonesian delegation important in strengthening cooperation, especially within the scope of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation,” he said.
He explained that KazanForum also serves as a platform to introduce the fact that Russia’s Muslim population is quite significant, at around 15 to 18 million people.
“So, this is perhaps the second largest religion in our country. One of the regions with the largest Muslim population in Russia is the Republic of Tatarstan, with its capital Kazan,” he said.
The city of Kazan was chosen as the host for the global economic forum because it is considered strategic for discussing various cooperation opportunities within the global Muslim community.
The International Economic Forum between Russia and the countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was first held in 2009.
The main objective of the annual forum is to strengthen trade, economic, scientific, technical, social, and cultural relations between Russia and OIC countries, as well as to promote the development of Islamic financial institutions in the Russian Federation.