Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, chairman of the Russia Muftis Council met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Russian Federation Alexander Graf Lambsdorff. The meeting was attended by Damir Mukhetdinov (first deputy chairman of the RBMRF), cultural attaché of the German Embassy in the Russian Federation Guido Kemmerling and Ildar Galeyev (deputy chairman of the RMC, head of the International department of the RBMRF).

Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin congratulated Mr Lambsdorff on his appointment as Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Russian Federation and wished him success in carrying out his diplomatic mission. Mr Ambassador presented the Mufti with the book "Russians and Germans: 1000 Years of History, Art and Culture", which describes the cultural exchange between the peoples of the two countries.

The participants of the meeting paid special attention to interethnic and interreligious cooperation between the peoples of Russia.

"It should be noted that in our country followers of different religious demonstrate mutual respect", stressed Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin.

He also added that the Interfaith Council of Russia, established in 1998 with the participation of Russian Muslims, plays an important role in strengthening these ties.

In addition, the Mufti said that the RBMRF and the Moscow Islamic Institute have been working with the authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany and academic, scientific and educational centres of this country in the field of integration and adaptaion of immigrants, as well as providing training for Muslim communities and organisations in the country. In particular, in 2016, a group of Islamic scholars from European countries, including specialists from the University of Tübingen, visited Moscow and St Petersburg. The European scholars got acquainted with the experience of the Russian Federation with regard to training.

The head of the RMC added that in 2017, D. Mukhetdinov met with the officer of the Berlin Senate Department for Integration, Doris Nahavandi. The meeting took place at the Berlin Senate and focused on the adaptation and integration of Muslims in Berlin.

In 2019, the German capital Berlin hosted the 15th International Muslim Forum. Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin is the Secretary General of this international public organisation. The annual meetings of the forum are held in various capitals.

At the end of the meeting, the German Ambassador thanked Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin for the informative conversation. The parties agreed to maintain contacts, as well as to discuss topical issues related to the domestic and foreign agenda.