The youth forum «Russia — Our Common Home» opened at KBSU

On May 19, 2026, the youth forum «Russia — Our Common Home» opened at Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov. The forum was organized at the initiative of the Imam Abu Hanifa North Caucasus Islamic University in collaboration with the KBSU Coordination Center and with the participation of the Foundation for the Support of Islamic Culture, Science, and Education, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the Center for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values, and Pyatigorsk State University. The event brought together representatives of government agencies, religious organizations, and educational institutions. The program opened with a plenary session at the Altair Student Center.

Murat Shibzukhov, Rector of the Imam Abu Hanifa North Caucasus Islamic University, outlined the forum’s key objectives:

«The relevance of today’s forum stems from the need to develop effective mechanisms for preventing interethnic conflicts and formulate measures to promote dialogue among the peoples of our country.»
Beslan Nazranov, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, Educational Work, and Social Issues at Kabardino-Balkarian State University, emphasized the importance of open dialogue with young people:

«We need to discuss pressing issues and clarify complex topics—only in this way can we instill a responsible worldview and civic stance in the younger generation.»
Khizir Otarov, Assistant to the Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, welcoming the participants on behalf of the Muftiate, addressed the youth with these words:

«Young people have been and remain the pillars of any state. You are the future of our country, and the future of our nations depends on how reasonable, fair, and helpful you are.»
Sergey Lukyanov, Head of the State National Policy Department of the Interregional Office of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs for the North Caucasus Federal District, emphasized the importance of interethnic unity:

«The unity of the peoples of Russia is not only the foundation of our statehood, but also a living resource that must be strengthened daily through dialogue, respect, and the development of shared values.»
Dzhambulat Gergokov, Acting Minister for Ethnic Affairs and Public Projects of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, emphasized the role of education in preventing destructive influences:

«An enlightened person is virtually impossible to lure into recruiters’ networks or turn into a tool for achieving someone’s political goals—this is the key objective of our educational initiatives.»
During the plenary session, speakers discussed the value guidelines of spiritual and moral education, the «Russia—Our Common Home» project, and how to strengthen the unity of the peoples of Russia using religious educational institutions as an example. The forum also included a discussion platform entitled «The Resources of Religious Organizations in Strengthening the Unity of the Peoples of Russia and the Fight Against Terrorism.»

On May 20, the forum will continue at the Imam Abu Hanifa North Caucasus Islamic University. There will be a quiz on traditional spiritual and moral values, a lecture on traditional religions’ attitudes toward terrorism and extremism, and a training session for students of religious educational institutions.