The forum will be dedicated to the 60th anniversary of victory in World War II, and will concern combat against extremism and terrorism, Kamilzhan Kalandarov, one of the conference organizers, said to a news conference in Moscow. He is president of the all-Russia public organization Khak (Justice).
The conference will bring together muftis of Russia's North Caucasian republics, leaders of all religions and denominations established in Russia, State Duma members, spokesmen of ministries and other federal offices, and delegates from unrecognized republics in the post-Soviet area-Abkhazia and Transdniestria. CIS countries will be represented, too, in particular, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Tajikistan and Ukraine. Guests will come from Iran, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
It took Russia's Muslim elite and human rights organizations five years to prepare the ground for the conference, which aims to assist government agencies in preventing and combating extremism, terrorism and xenophobia, and to promote peace and stability in Russia, Mr. Kalandarov said with emphasis.
Khak projects enjoy support from the United Council of Russian Muslim Boards against Extremism and Terrorism. The council comprises the Central Muslim Board, led by Sheikh Talgat Tajuddin; the Muslim Board for European Russia and the Russian Muftiyyate, both led by Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin; the Coordination Center for North Caucasian Muslims; and the International Islamic Mission.
