Assalamu alaikum - the IV interregional scientific and practical conference "Interfaith Dialogue in the Urals" took place in Yekaterinburg.
As-salamu alaykum! On October 27, a plenary session of the IV interregional scientific-practical conference "Interfaith Dialogue in the Urals" took place at the multimedia historical park "Russia - My History." Over a hundred theologians, religious scholars, Orthodox and Muslim figures, teachers, and specialists in the humanities gathered to discuss issues of state-religion relations and interreligious interaction, and to seek ways to resolve them together.
The conference opened with greetings from the Deputy Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region, Vasily Valeryevich Kozlov, acting Minister of Education Svetlana Yuryevna Trenikhina, and Chair of the City Duma Anna Dmitrievna Gurariy. They noted the high level of interaction between religious communities and authorities in the region and emphasized the importance of dialogue in our challenging times.
"Interfaith dialogue is especially relevant right now. The Urals, with its history and multiculturalism, is a unique platform for consensus. I hope our joint work will help strengthen the unity of the region's residents in the face of modern challenges," said Vasily Valeryevich in his welcoming speech.
Warm words were expressed by Metropolitan of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye, Yevgeny, and Mufti of the Ural region, Rinat Raev. They highlighted the significance of spiritual and cultural unity among peoples and the importance of fostering this faith in youth by familiarizing them with each other's cultures and religions, as taught by the holy Quran.
Greetings were also sent from representatives of the Jewish and Buddhist communities in the region, and the regional Assembly of Peoples acknowledged the role of clergymen and spiritual leaders who provide support and help during tough times and humanitarian work.
The program included plenary reports. The moderator of the session, Alexey Nikolayevich Starostin, an associate professor at the Department of Theology at the Ural State Mining University, presented an analysis of sociological surveys from 2018 to 2024, showing changes in the religious self-identification of residents in the region: an increase in adherents of traditional confessions and a decrease in those following new religious movements. The study also showed that both believers and non-believers in the region demonstrate similar mental and sociocultural characteristics, providing a good basis for dialogue.
A report by Pavel Evgenyevich Suslonov from the Department of Internal Policy focused on the boundaries of confessions and spiritual guidelines as the basis for dialogue; he noted that mutual respect and common moral goals are key to successful interaction.
Roman Vitalyevich Shizhensky discussed the genesis and social factors of modern paganism in Russia and voiced conclusions about the growing interest in such practices in certain segments of society, which requires attention and preparation from religious and public institutions.
The concluding report was delivered by Mufti Alfit Sharipov on the theological and cultural foundations of interreligious dialogue between Islam and Orthodoxy; he shared interaction practices that are being applied in the Orenburg region and other areas.
There were also pleasant moments: the Department of Theology at USMU celebrated its 15th anniversary and received an honorary diploma for its contribution to the harmonization of interreligious relations, while several teachers-both Muslim and Orthodox-received gratitude letters.
As part of the conference, there was an "imam school," an open lecture for students of UrFU, and an off-site meeting planned in Nizhny Tagil on October 28.
The organizers included the Department of Internal Policy of the Sverdlovsk Region, the Yekaterinburg City Duma, the administration of Nizhny Tagil, the Department of Theology at USMU, the metropolitan area, the Regional Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Sverdlovsk Region, and several public and scientific organizations working in the field of ethnic-confessional studies and spiritual development.
By the way, Islam emerged in the 7th century and has had a significant impact on the history and culture of many peoples. In Arabic, "Islam" means submission to the will of Allah. Today, the religion has more than a billion followers.
Peace be upon you, and blessings from Allah.
https://islamnews.ru/2025/10/2