Irina Bokova and Mintimer Shaimiev get acquainted with the progress of reconstruction of the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

On August 22, after visiting the Bolgar historical and archeological complex, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova and State Counsellor of the republic, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Revival Regional Foundation Mintimer Shaimiev got acquainted with the progress of reconstruction of the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan Feofan, Executive Secretary of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO Grigory Ordzhonikidze , Ambassador-at-large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eleonora Mitrofanova, Deputy Chairman of Tatarstan State Council, Executive Director of the Revival Regional Foundation Tatiana Larionova, Minister of Culture of the republic Ayrat Sibagatullin and other officials took part in the inspection. 

The scale of construction impressed Irina Bokova. She could not keep her emotions when she saw the walls of the majestic temple going up to the sky. The guest was also amazed by the pace of construction.

Shaimiev shared plans for the pace of construction: "Our task is to have the cathedral roofed before winter, so that internal works can be continued in winter," he said. Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan noted that quite a complicated work on the domes is already underway and the issue of the interior decoration of the cathedral is being worked out.