A session of strategic vision group "Russia and the Islamic World" has started in Moscow. The session is attended by the Chairman of Russia Muftis Council and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation mufti sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin. The session is presided by the group chairman, provisional President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov.

The solemn opening ceremony is attended by the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Iyad bin Amin Madani.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the session is attended by well-known state and community leaders from Muslim states and a number of major religious scholars from the Islamic East (Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait).

The participants of the session will discuss the issues pertaining to the rapprochement of Russia and the Islamic world, countering Wahhabism and the extremist organization "Islamic State".

The strategic vision group "Russia and the Islamic World" is a non-government organization. It was created in 2006 by Yevgeny Primakov and Mintimer Shaimiev after Russia joined the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as an observer state. The group held five sessions in Moscow, Kazan, Istanbul, Jeddah and Kuwait.

RMC press service and SAM RF