Rustam Minnikhanov and Ilsur Metshin congratulated Kazan residents on the Day of Russia at the Fan Fest site

(KZN.RU, June 12). In two days, the site for the FIFA Fan Festival will open in the capital of Tatarstan near the Family Center “Kazan”. Today the area around the Chasha has become the main venue for celebrating the Day of Russia in the city. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT, and Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, were the guests of honor.

“Today is the most important holiday of our country, the Day of Russia”, said Rustam Minnikhanov, welcoming gathered residents and guests of the city from the scene. “We celebrate this holiday together, with success, with achievements, with new objects”. The President of the RT noted that a lot is being done in Kazan and the republic for the development of the region and for the residents. “Of course, we are proud of our country. Russia must be strong, and Tatarstan must contribute. Together, we are ready for this”, said Rustam Minnikhanov. The Russian national anthem was performed after the congratulation of the President of the RT. It was performed by a combined choir, soloed by Elmira Kalimullina, an Honored Artist of the RT.

The concert program at the Family Center “Kazan” started at noon and will continue until 7 pm. Popular bands will perform for the residents and guests of the city. As part of the event, activists of Kazan student labor groups will traditionally receive permits for the construction of important facilities of federal significance. The holiday will end with a salute in honor of the Day of Russia.

Last week, Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, inspected the readiness of the site for the reception of fans from around the world. The fan festival will begin on the opening day of the World Cup on June 14, the site will close on the last day of the championship on July 15. It can host 25 thousand people at the same time. There are two screens on the site, the championship will be broadcasted on them. Today residents of the city were the first to get acquainted with the possibilities and functionality of the site.

Before the holiday, the President of the RT and the Mayor of Kazan also walked along the new promenade from the metro station “Kozya Sloboda” to the Chasha. A comfortable pedestrian zone and bike track were created during the improvement of the boulevard along Dekabristov Street. Special attention was paid to lighting and video surveillance, small architectural forms and unusual art objects were installed. A roll lawn was laid on the territory of 4 thousand square meters; limes, pyramidal poplars, 3500 shrubs, annual and perennial flowers were planted.

Rustam Minnikhanov and the Mayor of Kazan inspected the new landscaped zone, laid flowers to the monument in front of the Tatmedia building in memory of journalists and polygraphists who defended their homeland in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. The platform before the publishing house became today the venue of the book festival “Kazan Reads, Tatarstan Reads”. Guzel Yakhina, the famous writer, native of Kazan, was the guest of the event. She gave the head of the republic with her new novel “My Children”, which was recently presented at the Kazan City Hall.

Natalia Fishman, an assistant to the President of the RT, Leila Fazleeva, the deputy prime minister of the RT, and others walked on the new boulevard together with the President of the RT and the Mayor of Kazan.