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Questions and answers
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Istanbul (Republic of Turkey)Expand CollapseYear of foundation: 667 BC
Area: 5343 km2
Population: 15.67 million (2019)
Time zone: GMT +3
Website: http://en.istanbul.gov.tr/
About the city:
Istanbul (until 1930 Constantinople) is the largest city in Turkey and its main port. It is located in the north-west of the country on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, which connects the Black and Marmara Seas. Istanbul is the only city in the world that is located in two parts of the world at once - Europe and Asia. This is an ancient metropolis, which throughout its history has been the capital of three great empires: Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. Currently, Istanbul is the largest cultural and financial center of Turkey. Istanbul is also one of the five most visited cities in the world.
Joint events, contacts:
When the Eurasian branch of the Organization of World Heritage Cities was formed with its center in Kazan in 2003, Istanbul became the first city to support the initiative of the capital of Tatarstan.
In 2011, the park named after Gabdulla Tuqay was opened in Istanbul.
Istanbul supported Kazan at the stage of the bid company for the Universiade.
In 2013, the Istanbul Square was opened in Kazan.
The celebration of the Tatar national holiday Sabantuy is being held in Istanbul.
Sports festivals and competitions are held together with Istanbul.
On January 28, 2014, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin met with a delegation of the Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB) at the Kazan City Hall, where prospects for further cooperation between Istanbul and Kazan were discussed.
On June 21, 2014, the Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbaş arrived in Kazan on a visit, during which he held working meetings and visited Sabantuy.
On March 25-26, 2015, a delegation of Istanbul headed by the Mayor of the city Kadir Topbaş visited Kazan. The delegation took part in the meeting of the Eurasian Regional Branch of the UCLG.
On May 28, 2016, representatives of the delegation of the World Organization “United Cities and Local Authorities”, including the President of the organization, Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbash, became the guests of honor of the Sabantuy holiday in Kazan.
As part of the promotion of Kazan on the international tourism market in 2018, information booklets about the city in Turkish were developed. They were subsequently sent to the tourist centers of the Turkish twin cities, including Istanbul.
On May 15-16, 2019, a delegation of Tatarstan headed by President Rustam Minnikhanov visited the Republic of Turkey. During the visit, the delegation visited the city of Istanbul, where meetings were held with the leadership of the Turkish provinces and representatives of local businesses, as well as a number of enterprises were inspected.
On September 23, 2019, a delegation of the Union of Turkish World Municipalities visited the Republic of Tatarstan. The Mayor of Istanbul also took part in the delegation. Within the framework of the trip, on September 23-25, the delegation members met with representatives of the municipal community of Tatarstan, visited the facilities of the city of Kazan, Nizhnekamsk district, Spassky district of the city of Bulgar.
In 2019, a week of Turkish cinema was held in Kazan.
In May 2020, a video message was received from Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on the formation of the TASSR.
On September 23, 2020, Erol Ozgyuner, Head of the Information Department of the Istanbul City Hall, took part in the meeting of the Mayors’ Round Table «Smart City» within the framework of the Kazan Digital Week-2020 (as a listener).
From June 24 to June 26, 2021, representatives of Istanbul took part in the 17th World Conference of Historical Cities «Historical and Cultural heritage as the basis of national, cultural and local identity», which was held in Kazan.
On September 15, 2021, Head of the Republic Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin met with Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish company «Polymex» Erol Tabanca. Polimex is a Turkish construction holding company headquartered in Istanbul.
On September 21, 2021, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu took part in the Mayors’ Round Table «Evolution of Smart Cities» within the framework of the international forum Kazan Digital Week-2021.
On September 21, 2022, the Mayor of Kazan, Ilsur Metshin, met with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish company Polymex, Erol Tabanсa.
On September 22, 2022, an exhibition of the famous Turkish artist Yalçın Gökçebağ, whose workshop is located in Istanbul, opened in the Hazine Gallery in Kazan.
On October 3, 2022, the Deputy Head of the Kazan Municipality Evgenia Lodvigova visited Istanbul to meet and negotiate with representatives of the UN-Habitat organization.
On May 25-26, 2023, UCLG-MEWA Secretary General Dr. Mehmet Duman personally participated in the Eurasian training «Cities of Eurasia and Global Trends», which was held in Kazan.
The tourism potential of Kazan was presented at the international exhibition ITF, which was held on October 4-5, 2023 in Istanbul.
On the night of August 17-18, 2024, participants from Istanbul took part in the "Night Bikefest" in Kazan.On February 6-8, 2025, a delegation from Istanbul visited Kazan to participate in the international architectural and construction forum «Kazanysh». Gürkan Akgün, Deputy Secretary General of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, delivered a speech at the plenary session: «Vigorous Cities: Unity of Diversity». Ramazan Gülten, Development Director of Istanbul Municipality (IBB), Head of Planning and Urbanization Department, spoke at the first meeting of the Architecture and Urban Development Committee of the Association of BRICS+ Cities and Municipalities, an association of chief architects of BRICS+ cities.
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Sukhum (Republic of Abkhazia)Expand CollapseOn February 6-8, 2025, architects from Sukhum visited Kazan to participate in the international architectural and construction forum «Kazanysh». Svetlana Shamenkova, chief architect of Sukhum, took part in the first meeting of the Architecture and Urban Development Committee of the Association of BRICS+ Cities and Municipalities, an association of chief architects of BRICS+ cities.
Photo: Official portal of Administration of Sukhum
Documents: Agreement on Mutual Cooperation in the Field of Tourism between the “Committee for Tourism Development of Kazan” and the “Argo-Invest” Municipal Enterprise of the Administration of Sukhum (2022), Sister Cities Relations Agreement between the City of Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation) and the City of Sukhum (Republic of Abkhazia) (2023)
Year of foundation: VI century BC
Population: 65,500 (2020)
Area of the city: 21 km2
Time zone: GMT +3
Website: https://www.sukhumcity.ru/
About the city:
Sukhum is the capital of the Republic of Abkhazia and an ancient city, which is located on the Black Sea coast. Back in the VI century BC, an ancient Greek colony appeared on the territory of the city.
As the city with a rich history, Sukhum has preserved the sights of antiquity. These are the ruins of the ancient Sukhumi fortress, the castle of Tsar Bagrat, the Besletsky Bridge, the ruins of the Kelasur Monastery and the Great Abkhazian Wall. The Great Abkhazian Wall is the third largest fortification construction in the world after the Great Wall of China and the Great Wall of Gorgan in Iran.
There is a Botanical Garden in the center of the city, it is a museum of subtropical culture, the demonstration part of which reaches 5 hectares. The Sukhumi Monkey Nursery is very popular among tourists.
Joint events, contacts:
Sukhum has been a member of USLG since 2017.
Representatives of the city of Sukhum supported Kazan in Durban (South Africa) in November 2019 at the election of the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin as the President of the United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA).
On 23 September 2020, Deputy Head of the Sukhum City Administration Leon Kvarchiya delivered a report "Traffic Management System" at the Round Table of Mayors at the International Forum Kazan Digital Week-2020.
On 17 December 2022 at the Embassy of the Republic of Abkhazia in Moscow, Kazan and Sukhum signed an agreement on mutual cooperation in the field of tourism between the Kazan Tourism Development Committee and Argo-Invest MUE of the Sukhum city administration.
On 13-16 March 2023, a delegation from the city of Sukhum visited Kazan with the participation of the Head of the Administration of the capital of Abkhazia, Beslan Eshba. Within the framework of the visit, a twinning agreement was signed between the city of Kazan and the city of Sukhum.
The Sukhum delegation headed by the Deputy Head of the Sukhum City Administration Leon Kvarchiya took part in the Eurasian training "Eurasian Cities and Global Trends" held in Kazan on 25-26 May 2023, as well as in the meeting of the Executive Council of the Asian Mayors Forum held in Kazan within the framework of the training.
On July 7-9, 2023, an official visit of the Kazan delegation to Sukhum took place on the occasion of Sukhum City Day.
A team of chess players from Sukhum participated in a chess tournament within the framework of the event "United Cities Forum (UCF)", which was held on 7-8 September 2023 in Kazan within the framework of the International Forum "SPROUTS: Russia and China - Mutually Beneficial Cooperation".
The delegation of Sukhum participated in the International Architectural and Construction Forum "Kazanysh", which was held on 5-7 December 2023 in Kazan.
In December 2023, within the framework of the implementation of the agreement on mutual cooperation in the field of tourism in Sukhum, banners with an invitation to visit the city of Kazan were installed.
On February 26, 2024, Kazan and Sukhum signed a plan of joint activities for 2024.
On June 17, 2024, a delegation of the Sukhumi City Assembly visited Kazan for the purpose of interaction between the representative authorities of Kazan and Sukhum and the exchange of experience. As part of the visit, a meeting was held with the Secretary of the Kazan City Duma Albina Rafikova.
On July 6, 2024, a delegation from Kazan led by the head of the International Relations Department, Arseny Karyakin, took part in the celebration of Sukhum City Day.
On February 13, 2025, the First Deputy Mayor of Kazan Denis Kalinkin visited Sukhum on a one-day working visit to discuss cooperation in the field of improvement and mutual support.
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Tashkent (Republic of Uzbekistan)Expand CollapseOn May 13-17, 2024, as part of the forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2024”, an information tour of the delegation from Uzbekistan took place. A round table was organized at the site with the participation of the Uzbek delegation and tour operators of the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, at which a presentation of the tourism potential of Kazan, Samarkand, Tashkent and Bukhara, and tourism projects aimed at attracting guests took place.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
Document: Treaty of Friendship and Partnership (1998)
Year of foundation: 200 B.C.
Population: 2.6 million (2020)
Area: 334 km² (2021)
Time zone: GMT +5
Website: https://tashkent.uz/
About the city:
Tashkent is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. It is one of the oldest cities of Central Asia. The leading industry is mechanical engineering, Tashkent tractor plant and Tashkent locomotive repair plant operate in the city. There are plants of electronic equipment: "Photon", "Sputnik", "Mikond".
Joint events, contacts:
From November 15 to 18, 2018, a delegation of the Tashkent Khokimiyat, headed by First Deputy Khokim of Tashkent Davron Khidoyatov, visited Kazan. Working meetings were arranged and held to study the experience of OOO Managing Company Uyutny Dom, OAO Kazenergo, OOO PZHKH and MUP STN; a presentation was held of the utilities accounting automation and dispatching program, the Open Kazan system, waste control and accounting, the Safe City project and the burial records of the Ritual Services. The meeting was held at the Kazan City Hall by Iskander Giniatullin, Deputy Head of the Kazan City Executive Committee.
On February 21, 2019, President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan Achilbay Ramatov met at the Kazan Kremlin.
On April 1, 2019, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin met with the Consul General of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Kazan. Deputy Mayor of Kazan Evgeniya Lodvigova took part in the meeting. The parties discussed prospects for further cooperation between Kazan and Uzbekistan.
On June 13, 2019, the opening ceremony of the Consulate General of the Republic of Uzbekistan was held in Kazan. President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Russian Federation Botirzhon Asadov and Consul General of Uzbekistan in Kazan Faraddin Nasriev took part in the event.
On November 15, 2019, a meeting with a delegation from the Tashkent Khokimiyat was held at the Kazan City Hall. The guests were told about digitalization in the sphere of housing and communal services of the capital of Tatarstan and the projects that are implemented in the city in this direction.
On November 27, 2019, the delegation of the Republic of Tatarstan headed by Rustam Minnikhanov paid a two-day visit to Tashkent.
On September 23, 2020, Deputy Khokim of Tashkent on Introduction of Information Technologies Sardor Abdullaev took part in the International Forum Kazan Digital Week-2020 and made a report (on the topic "Foreign experience of innovative development of transport infrastructure") at the Mayors’ Round Table "Smart City".
In January 2021, the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Kazan received a request from the Hokimiyat of Tashkent to exchange video clips in the field of tourism.
In May 2021, a delegation from Uzbekistan visited Kazan on a working visit. Tashkent Hokim Jahongir Artickhojaev, Minister of Housing and Communal Services of Uzbekistan Sherzod Khidoyatov and Tashkent region Khokim Davron Khidoyatov met with Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin and discussed cooperation prospects.
In March 2022, the Kazan Tourism Development Committee established a constructive dialogue on video exchange with the Tashkent Tourism Development Department. This initiative will help the residents of the cities to get to know each other better, and will also contribute to the development of tourism.
In the framework of the XIV International Economic Forum "Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum" held on May 18-20, 2023, a delegation of the Tashkent City Khokimiyat headed by Deputy Khokim of Tashkent Aleksey Khen (6 people) made a working visit to Kazan. The guests familiarized themselves with the objects of housing and communal services, as well as with the experience of Kazan in the field of information technology.
In May 2023, the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur.Metshin as part of the delegation of the Republic of Tatarstan headed by the Head of the Rais Administration Asgat Safarov visited Uzbekistan and met with the Acting Khokim of Tashkent Shavkat Umurzakov, who spoke about the activities of citizens' self-governing bodies, in particular, mahallas - a unique local institution.
On September 18 - 22, 2023, a delegation from the Khokimiyat of Tashkent visited Kazan. During the visit, guests from Uzbekistan familiarized themselves with the best practices of Kazan in the field of landscaping, housing and utilities, transportation and digital development of the city. On September 21, a working meeting with representatives of the Kazan Executive Committee was held in Kazan City Hall and a memorandum of understanding was signed between Toshkent Shahar Suvta'minoti LLC of Tashkent and municipal unitary enterprise Vodokanal of Kazan. The document envisages exchange of technical and technological experience in water supply and sanitation, knowledge and achievements, ensuring sustainable development of partnership relations between the signatory institutions.
On September 20, 2023, the head of the delegation Acting Deputy Khokim of Tashkent city Shohruh Rakhimjanov made a report at the Round Table of Mayors "Artificial Intelligence in city management" within the framework of the International Forum Kazan Digital Week-2023.
In the period from October 3 to 6, 2023 within the framework of the III Forum of Interregional Cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan, the delegation of the Tashkent Khokimiyat headed by Khokim Shavkat Umurzakov visited Kazan. On October 4, within the framework of this visit, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin met with the delegation in Kazan City Hall and discussed with Tashkent Khokim Umurzakov cooperation in different spheres of urban economy. The guests familiarized themselves with the work of the Executive Committee of Kazan in the field of landscaping, public transportation, school meals and outdoor advertising.
In the period from May 15 to 18, 2024, a delegation of the city of Tashkent, headed by the Deputy Khokim of Tashkent Durdona Rakhimova, visited Kazan to exchange experience in the field of education and the organization of healthy nutrition in schools. On May 16, guests took part in a round table, which was chaired by Guzel Sagitova, Deputy Head of the Kazan Executive Committee, in charge of social issues.
On June 21-23, 2024, a delegation from Tashkent headed by Aleksey Khen, Deputy Khokim of Tashkent city for the Introduction of information technologies - Head of the digital development department, visited Kazan to participate in the International Forum of the BRICS+ Cities.
On September, 9, 2024 Deputy Khokim of Tashkent city for the Introduction of information technologies - Head of the digital development department Aleksey Khen made a report at the Cities' Round Table «Modern Urban Services» in an online format within the framework of the International Forum Kazan Digital Week-2024.
On November 21-23, 2024, representatives of the Committee for Tourism Development of Kazan took part in the International tourism exhibition «Tourism on the Silk Road» in Tashkent with the aim of presenting the tourism potential of Kazan on the international market.
On September 20-28, 2025, a delegation from Tashkent participated in the BRICS Youth Festival. Akhmadjon Khaldarov took second place in the BRICS Youth Mathematics Olympiad. As part of the festival, a meeting of the Committee on Youth Policy and Education of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities was held on September 23, at which Nargiza Aripova, a primary school teacher from School No. 300 in Tashkent, presented a report.
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Tabriz (Islamic Republic of Iran)Expand Collapse
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
Document: Memorandum of twinning (2009)
Year of foundation: 714 BC.
Population: 1.3 million (2019)
Area of the city: 1781 km² (2020)
Time zone: GMT +3.3
Website: http://tabriz.ir/
About the city:
Tabriz is the administrative center of the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan, located in the north-west of the country. Historically, Tabriz was a major trading center. Tabriz Bazaar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is the second most important industrial center in Iran. The city has an oil refinery, a chemical plant and a cement factory. It has well developed light and textile industries and a carpet spinning factory. Tabriz carpets were woven for the needs of the Shah's Court and were famous throughout the world.
Joint activities, contacts:
A Memorandum of Friendship and Cooperation was concluded between Kazan and Tabriz in 2002. In January 2009, a Memorandum of Twinning and Partnership was signed.
On 10 March 2014 a delegation led by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov paid a working visit to Tabriz. According to the programme of the visit, the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin discussed the development of cooperation in the construction of sports facilities, as well as in the exchange of students.
In 2015, the Mayor of Tabriz, Iran, Sadegh Najafi, visited Tatarstan to attend the opening of Tabriz Culture Week in Kazan.
In 2015, a representative of the Executive Committee of Kazan took part in a working visit to Tabriz as part of the delegation of the Republic of Tatarstan led by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov.
In 2017, an official delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran visited Kazan, led by Tabriz Mayor Sadegh Najafi, who donated items of decorative and applied art to Kazan (to the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan). During the visit, the parties discussed the prospects for cooperation and the improvement of green areas in the capital of Tatarstan and the Iranian city.
In 2017, the square in the Moscow district of Kazan was named Tabriz.
In 2018, a park named Kazan was created in Tabriz.
On June 29, 2022, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov held an online meeting with the Governor of the province of East Azerbaijan of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Zein ol-Abedin Razavi Khorram. The meeting was also attended by the head of the Executive Committee of Kazan, Rustem Gafarov, and the Mayor of Tabriz, Yaghoub Houshyar. The parties discussed the prospects of cooperation.
In December 2023, the Mayor of Tabriz, Yaghoub Houshyar, and the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Tabriz for Planning and Human Capital, Mahbub Tizpazniari, took part in the Architectural and Construction Forum «Kazanysh», which was held on December 5-7 in Kazan. As part of the event, the guests met with the Director of the Committee for Tourism Development of Kazan, Daria Sannikova, to discuss cooperation in in the field of tourism.
On June 21-23, 2024, a delegation from Tabriz headed by Yaghoub Houshyar, the Mayor of Tabriz, visited Kazan to participate in the International Forum of the BRICS+ Cities.
On September, 9, 2024, the Mayor of Tabriz Yaghoub Houshyar made a video address at the Cities' Round Table «Modern Urban Services» within the framework of the International Forum Kazan Digital Week-2024.
On April 22, 2025, in Moscow, as part of the forum «Small Homeland - the Power of Russia», a panel session on the topic «Prospects for the Development of International Cooperation of BRICS Cities» was held, moderated by the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin. It was attended by the Mayor of Tabriz Yaghoub Houshyar and the Mayor of the Third District of Tabriz Arman Aminbakhsh.
On September 17, 2025, Tabriz Mayor Yaghoub Houshyar delivered a video address at the Round table «How Digitalization is Transforming Cities» as part of the Kazan Digital Week-2025 International Forum.
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Tehran (Islamic Republic of Iran)Expand CollapseDocument: Agreement on the Establishment of Friendly Relations between Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, (Russian Federation), and Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, 2025.
Photo: https://www.mayors.asia/
Foundation year: 9 Century AD
Population: 9,7 million people (2025).
Area: 730 km² (2018).
Time zone: GMT +3:30
Official web site: http://www.tehran.ir/
About the city:
Tehran is the capital and the largest city of Iran, as well as one of the biggest cities in Asia. It is the administrative, political, economic, transportation, trade, financial, and cultural center of the country.
Tehran is characterized by its diverse ethnic and religious groups. The city's population consists mainly of Persians, Azerbaijanis, and Mazanderani people. Islam is the dominant religion, other religious communities in Tehran include Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Jews, Bahá'ís, and Zoroastrians.
Before becoming the capital of Iran, Tehran was a large farming village. However, with the discovery of oil reserves in the country, industrialization started. Tehran's economy has grown significantly, and it has become a major economic and industrial center.
Today, Tehran remains the most important economic center in Iran, accounting for 35% of Iran's total industrial output and housing about 30% of its workers. In particular, over 50% of textiles and electronics consumed in Iran are manufactured in factories in Tehran.
There are various mechanical engineering and metalworking industries (12 car assembly plants and aircraft factories, as well as repair plants, radio equipment, televisions, washing machines, and refrigerators production), chemical, oil refining, and metallurgical industries are also present, as well as production of building materials and glass and porcelain products. Textiles, food, including a large tobacco factory, and leather and footwear industries are also represented. Most of these industrial enterprises are located in the western industrial zone of the city between Tehran and Karaj, with Iran Khodro being one of the largest enterprises, occupying an entire urban district and producing Samand cars.
The main sectors of economy include textiles, metallurgy, chemicals, oil refining, electrical engineering, aviation, automotive, pharmaceuticals, food, footwear, energy (including nuclear power), trade, transportation, agriculture (including wheat, legumes, vegetables, citrus fruits, grapes, pomegranates, cotton, flowers, particularly roses), mining of copper and lead-zinc ores, and building materials.
Several Russian companies operate in Tehran, primarily in the fields of oil and gas, nuclear energy, and other sectors:
Atomstroyexport
IRSOTR
Lukoil
Tatneft
Technopromexport
Joint events:
Kazan and Tehran cooperate within the framework of various international organizations:
· The Asian Forum of Mayors
· The World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments
· Metropolis
· UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
Kazan participates in the activities of the Asian Forum of Mayors organization since its establishment in 2011 (with headquarters in Tehran).
On May 25, 2023, the Executive Bureau of the Asian Forum of Mayors was held in Kazan, attended by representatives from Russia, Iran, Turkey, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Abkhazia, and Armenia. The Islamic Republic of Iran was represented by cities such as Tehran, Arak, Bojnord, Gorgan, Zahedan, Qazvin, and Mashhad.
International awards: The Kazan project “Reformation of the School Nutrition System”was awarded the prestigious Tehran Golden Adobe Global Award 2019 as the best in the category “Development of Local Self-Government, Planning and Management”. The award ceremony took place on November 2, 2019, in Tehran.
Representatives from Tehran take part in international events in Kazan, including:
– The round table of mayors as part of the Kazan Digital Week International Forum (2022);
– The training “Cities of Eurasia and Global Trends” (2023);
– The Kazanysh International Architectural and Construction Forum (2023);
– The founding meeting of the Association of BRICS+Cities and Municipalities (2024);
Representatives from Kazan take part in events in Tehran:
In 2022, a delegation from Kazan took part in the First Festival and Exhibition of Twin Cities in Tehran.
Meeting of the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin with representatives from Tehran:
On May 25, 2023, Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin met with Deputy Mayor of Tehran Mr. Hamidreza Gholamzadeh Natanzi in Kazan during the Executive Bureau meeting of the Asian Mayors Forum.
On December 5, 2023, Mayor of Kazan held talks with Deputy Mayor of Tehran Mr. Hamidreza Gholamzadeh Natanzi and Deputy of Urban Planning and Architecture of Tehran Municipality Mr. Hamidreza Saremi, during the Kazanysh International Architectural and Construction Forum in Kazan.
On June 21, 2024, Kazan Mayor met with Deputy Mayor of Tehran Mr. Hamidreza Gholamzadeh Natanzi in Kazan as part of the Founding Assembly of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities.
On August 27, 2024, Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin met with the chairman of the City Council of Tehran Mr. Mehdi Chamran in Moscow during the BRICS International Municipal Forum.
Deputy Mayor of Tehran and Secretary-General of the Asian Mayors Forum Mr. Hamidreza Gholamzadeh Natanzi, was appointed Co-Chair of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities. He participated in the association’s working session on October 31, 2024, in Dubai, UAE.
On February 6-8, 2025, a Tehran delegation led by Deputy of Urban Planning and Architecture of Tehran Municipality Mr. Hamidreza Saremi, attended the Kazanysh International Architectural and Construction Forum.
On April 11, 2025, Tehran hosted a working session of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities with representatives from Russia, China, Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Iran. During Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin’s working visit to Tehran, an agreement on establishing friendly relations between the two cities was signed.
On April 22, 2025, in Moscow, within the framework of the forum «Small Motherland - the Strength of Russia», a panel session was held on the topic «Prospects for the development of international cooperation between cities of the BRICS countries», moderated by Ilsur Metshin, Mayor of Kazan. It was attended by the Vice Mayor of Tehran, AFM Secretary General, Mr. Hamidreza Gholamzadeh Natanzi and the Director of International Organizations and Embassies, Mrs. Mahshid Taghihani.
Mayor of Tehran Mr. Alireza Zakani attended the General Assembly of the Association of Cities and Municipalities of the BRICS+ countries, which was held on May 26-28, 2025 in Marica, Brazil. He spoke at the session Sustainable Urban Development of BRICS+: Food Security and ESG. On the site of the General Assembly, the Mayor of Tehran, Mr. Alirez Zakani, met with the Mayor of Kazan, Ilsur Metshin, and the Mayor of Ufa, Ratmir Mavliev, to discuss the experience and plans for cooperation between the cities.
On September 20-28, 2025, the delegation of Tehran took part in the BRICS Youth Festival. Zoha Sadeghpour took the third place in the BRICS Youth Olympiad in Mathematics. As part of the festival, on September 23, a meeting of the Committee on Youth Policy and Education of the Association of Cities and Municipalities of the BRICS+ countries was held, at which the expert of the Asian Forum of Mayors, Mrs. Khadijeh Mohammadivarankeshi, made a presentation.
On October 17, 2025, as part of the meeting of the World Council «United Cities and Local Authorities», Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin met with Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani to discuss further development of cooperation.
On November 26-30, 2025, Tehran hosted the international forum Tehran Urban Summit 2025, which brought together the cities of Armenia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tajikistan and Russia. Kazan was represented at the forum by Arseny Karyakin, the Secretary General of the Association of Cities and Municipalities of the BRICS+ countries, the Head of the International Relations Department of the Kazan City Duma. During the panel session «Smart and Innovative Cities» Arseny Karyakin shared Kazan's key achievements in the field of digital transformation.
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Tlemcen (People's Democratic Republic of Algeria)Expand Collapse
Photo: flickr.com/photos/habibkaki
Document: Partnership Development Agreement (2011)
Year of foundation: 300
Population: 672 thousand people (2021)
City area: 9061 km
Time zone: GMT +1
About the city:
Tlemcen, located in northwestern Algeria, is called the «pearl of the Maghreb». The Romans founded it in the IV century as a military fortification. Tlemcen is a center of handicrafts (carpet making), textile and leather industries, and grapes and olives are also grown in the city. Officially, 45 structures of Tlemcen belong to the national architectural monuments.
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Daejeon (Republic of Korea)Expand Collapse
Photo: common.wikimedia.org
Document: Memorandum of Understanding (2017)
Year founded: 1905
Population: 1.5 million (2018)
Area of the city: 539.84 km²
Time zone: GMT +9
Website: https://www.daejeon.go.kr/dre/index.do
About the city:
Daejeon is a city in the center of South Korea and the administrative center of Chungcheongnam-do Province. Daejeon occupies an important place in the country's economy. A large number of enterprises, firms and companies, modern medical and scientific centers, and 18 universities are concentrated here. Daejeon has received the title of “Korea's Silicon Valley”. Research centers of Samsung, LG and other technological giants of the country are opened here.
Joint activities, contacts:
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed during the 14th World Congress of the Organization of World Heritage Cities by Deputy Head of Kazan Evgeniya Lodvigova and Vice-Mayor of Daejeon Jean-Gwan Lee.
On July 2, 2019, a meeting between the Vice-Mayor of Kazan and the Vice-Mayor of Daejeon took place at the Kazan City Hall. The parties discussed possible aspects of cooperation as well as the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) World Congress.
The delegation of Kazan led by the Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin visited Daejeon as part of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) World Congress on October 10-14, 2022.
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Urbino (Italian Republic)Expand Collapse
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
Document: Mutual Cooperation Agreement (2001)
Year of foundation: 300 B.C.
Population: 15,000 (2021)
Area: 226 km² (2020)
Time Zone: GMT +1
Website: http://www.comune.urbino.ps.it/
About city:
Urbino is an ancient city in eastern Italy, a historical, cultural and educational center. Known as the birthplace of Raphael Santi. During the Renaissance, Urbino was called the "Ideal City" because it represented a harmony of beauty and intelligent organization of space.
The historic part of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" was founded in 1506 as one of the first in Europe. With several quite significant universities and language schools opened in the city, about half of the city's population are students.
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Wuhan (People's Republic of China)Expand CollapseDocument: Memorandum of intent on establishing twinning relations between the cities of Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan (Russian Federation) and Wuhan, Hubei Province (People's Republic of China) (2025)
Фото: Wuhan municipality
Year of foundation: 1500 BC
Area: 8600 km2 (2023)
Population: 13.8 million (2024)
Time zone: GMT +8
Website: https://www.wuhan.gov.cn/
About the city:
Wuhan is the administrative center of Hubei Province, a large city in central China with a population of about 13.8 million people (as of the end of 2024). It is an important industrial, cultural and transport hub of the country. Wuhan is one of the six cities in China where consulates of foreign countries are open. In June 2025, Dmitry Zavorin was appointed Consul General of the Russian Federation in Wuhan.
Since June 2024, Mr. Sheng Yuechun has been appointed Mayor of Wuhan.
By the end of 2023, Wuhan's gross metropolitan product grew by 5.7%, reaching 2 trillion yuan (about 278.76 billion US dollars). The city has developed automotive industry (including the Dongfeng headquarters and factories of Honda, Citroen, Renault), ferrous metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, and satellite manufacturing.
Wuhan is a green city park, awarded the titles of «National Garden City» and «National Forest City» of China. Its most important feature is its location on the banks of rivers and lakes.
One of the oldest cities in China boasts a rich historical and cultural heritage. There are 339 architectural monuments, including 33 objects of national importance and dozens of buildings of European, including Russian, architecture.
Wuhan is a large educational center with 89 universities, where over 1.3 million students study. Wuhan University, founded in 1893, is one of the country's leading universities.
Joint events, contacts:
On October 2020, Vice Mayor of Wuhan Mr. Xu Honglan participated in the plenary session «Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Modern Cities» within the framework of the Forum of Twin Cities and Municipalities of the BRICS countries.
On June 2021, representatives of Wuhan took part in the 17th World Conference of Historical Cities on the theme «Historical and cultural heritage as the basis of national, cultural and local identity».
On September 2023, young chess players from Wuhan played in the first International friendly chess tournament between the teams of sister cities and partner cities of Russia and China, which was held within the framework of the International Business Forum «SPROUTS: Russia and China – Mutually Beneficial Cooperation».
On November 18, 2024, in Kunming, on the sidelines of the Chinese International Conference «Cities of Friendship», the head of the International Cooperation Department of the Office of International and Inter-Municipal Relations of the Kazan City Duma, Regina Kozenko, met with the head of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the People's Government of Wuhan, Yu Feng. Prospects for cooperation in education, sports and mutual participation in events in 2025 were discussed.
On July 2025, Kazan athletes performed at the Yangtze River Crossing Festival in Wuhan.
On July 2025, graduates of Kazan Secondary School No. 9 with advanced study of English took part in the international educational program of Wuhan University of Commerce (WBU).
On August 2025, the delegation of Wuhan took part in the III International Business Forum «SPROUTS: Russia and China – Mutually Beneficial Cooperation». The Chinese delegation was led by Chen Yueqing, Deputy Chairman of the Wuhan City Committee of the People's Political Consultative Conference. On August 18, 2025, the Executive Committee of Kazan city Municipality hosted a meeting of representatives of the administrations of the cities of Kazan and Wuhan. The guests were welcomed by the Deputy Head of Kazan, Evgeniya Lodvigova. The parties signed a Memorandum of intent on establishing twinning relations. On August 18, 2025, the Wuhan City team took part in an online friendly chess tournament between the teams of the twin cities and partner cities of Russia and China.
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Hyderabad (Republic of India)Expand Collapse
Фото: commons.wikimedia.org
Document: Treaty of Cooperation (2001)Year of foundation: 1592
Population: 3 million (2021)
Area: 650 km² (2020)
Time zone: GMT +5:30
Website: http://ghmc.gov.in/
About city:
Hyderabad is a city in southern India that is one of India's most important centers of industry and commerce.
It has well developed light industry, food processing, glass, paper, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering; widespread handicrafts. Hyderabad is the center of the computer industry; research and design organizations of the military-industrial complex of India are concentrated in the city. Hyderabad is sometimes referred to as the "Pearl City", as pearls of all varieties have been available there for many years.
Joint events, contacts:
On October 19, 2020, representatives of Hyderabad participated in the BRICS Twinning Cities and Municipalities Forum 2020 held in Kazan in an online format.
On June 21-23, 2024, the representative of Hyderabad, Basava Bhaaskara, Director of Roerich Healthcare, President of the South Indian-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President of the Business Forum of South India and Russia, visited Kazan to participate in the International Forum of the BRICS+ Cities.