A round table dedicated to the development of the Center for Islamic Heritage was held at the Bolgar Islamic Academy. Participants discussed the conceptual vision for the Center’s museum space, resources for its development, and the importance of preserving tradition.

The discussion was attended by the Rector of the Academy, Farkhat Khusnutdinov; Head of the Center for Islamic Heritage, Alsu Khasavnekh; as well as leading experts in museology, tour guides, and researchers from across Tatarstan.

A key topic of the meeting was the future of the Laboratory for the Restoration and Digitization of Ancient Books and Manuscripts, which Rector Khusnutdinov described as “the heart of the Academy.”

“With such a vast collection of books and ancient manuscripts, simply preserving them is one thing; making them accessible and beneficial to a wider audience is another. The history contained within these walls must be passed on to the younger generation. Our goal is to preserve what we have and to drive further development,” emphasized Rector Khusnutdinov, quoting the first President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Mintimer Shaimiev: “A person who does not know their past has no future.”

Alsu Khasavnekh proposed reviewing and updating the concept of the Academy’s museum space. According to her, some exhibits need to be replaced and the overall curatorial logic reconsidered.

“We have many ideas. In particular, we plan to strengthen the research component. We are currently compiling brief descriptions of the Islamic manuscripts housed at the Academy in response to student interest. The catalog will include the subject, title, author, date, and place of transcription. Later, we intend to work on comprehensive descriptions,” she noted.

Researcher Rausaniya Shafigullina emphasized the importance of connecting history with contemporary development.

“We are standing on Bolgar soil, so it would be fitting to begin with the local culture — starting from the adoption of Islam — and explain how Islamic heritage began to take shape. For example, the manuscript Qissa-i Yusuf by Qol Gali shows that Islam was not only a matter of worship or scholarship, but was deeply interwoven into our way of life,” she explained.

Nailya Mambetova, Senior Methodologist at the Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve and history teacher at the “Adymnar” gymnasium, echoed this approach. She stressed the importance of identifying the museum’s target audience.

“It is essential to present the Tatar manuscript tradition, highlighting its unique characteristics and the languages used by Tatar theologians. At the same time, attention should also be given to the Academy’s faculty and teaching staff,” Mambetova added.

Vice-Rector for Development Aynur Sultanov shared his vision of transforming the exhibition hall into a full-fledged museum of Islamic educational history or a museum dedicated to Tatar history and culture. He also mentioned plans to establish an interactive museum in the White Mosque and a small park between the mosque and the Academy building.

Concluding the discussion, Alsu Khasavnekh summarized the key areas requiring further focus and expressed her appreciation to colleagues for their active engagement, thoughtful contributions, and readiness to continue working together.