A research-to-practice conference "Society-church partnership and implementation of important social projects", devoted to the state support for NGOs and their social initiatives, took place on March 14 in Russian Orthodox University. It was attended by religious, political and public figures.

On behalf of Russia Muftis Council, the event was attended by the deputy head of the administration of Russia Muftis Council in charge of communication with national communities and religious organizations Renat hazrat Abyanov.

Renat hazrat greeted the audience on behalf of RMC Chairman mufti sheikh Ravil hazrat Gaynutdin and told of the social, educational and charitable programmes and events organized by Russia Muftis Council in cooperation with ministries and regional authorities. He also touched upon the subject of adaptation and integration of immigrants into Russian society:

"I shall be honest with you: we are worried by an alarming trend of growing hatred on national and religious basis, when many people, especially members of the immigrant community, face violence and abuse. Legal centre 'Adalat' that was founded with the assistance of Russia Muftis Council works to help lots and lots of immigrants who face such harassment. We support legal immigrants who would not only benefit our society, but also themselves be protected from lawlessness and violence," said Renat Abyanov.

Speaking on the lack of places of worship, he said: "We welcome the initiative of Russian Orthodox Church to build new churches, but we also support construction of the temples of Russia's traditional religions—mosques, synagogues, datsans—in required numbers."

In the end of his speech, representative of Russia Muftis Council stressed that "...we are strongly committed to the dialogue, for it is only through dialogue and justice that the society can continue its development. We advocate the spread and popularization of traditions, culture and spiritual values of not only ethnic Russians, but also of tens of other peoples of Russia. We stand for preservation of national languages and separate national identities not just for cutting dashes or for folk festivals, but for their use in everyday life. We are against morbid nationalism and pseudopatriotism that are alien and offensive to Russian mentality and lead only to destruction and destabilization. We call for the start of practical cooperation on a parity basis in the name of prosperity of our common native land."

RMC press service