On November 11, an off-site meeting of the Republic of Bashkortostan Committee for UNESCO Affairs was held at the "Tura-khan" visitor center of the Eurasian Museum of Nomadic Civilizations. The event was dedicated to summarizing the results of work for 2025 and defining priority areas for cooperation with UNESCO.
The meeting was attended by Alexander Alimov, Director of the Department for Multilateral Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Ties of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Executive Secretary of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO. The Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Radiy Khabirov, noted that UNESCO issues are of strategic importance for the region, encompassing the preservation of natural and ethno-cultural diversity, the development of ecotourism, the creation of relevant infrastructure, and the implementation of educational projects.
Alexander Alimov highly praised the results of the Republic of Bashkortostan's work, calling 2025 "a year of victories that the entire country is proud of." He emphasized the region's richness in natural and cultural diversity, as well as the federal center's readiness to act as a partner in project implementation.
At the meeting, particular emphasis was placed on the prospects of including the Mausoleum of Tura-khan in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This oldest architectural monument of the Golden Horde era (14th century), built from local limestone using unique Golden Horde construction technology, serves as a vivid example of regional architectural tradition. The mausoleum is the central element of a ritual and architectural complex that includes the Small Keshéné, an extensive necropolis, and a special cultural landscape. It stands as evidence of the Islamization of the Ulus of Jochi, an indicator of the administrative center of the Golden Horde, and for seven centuries has maintained its status as a place of spiritual worship and pilgrimage. Its strategic location on an elevated site, with visibility for tens of kilometers, creates a consciously organized, highly developed landscape symbolizing the unity of power and religion.
The principles of preserving this landscape have already been applied in the development of the "Tura-Khan" visitor center and remain a key task in the construction process of the Eurasian Museum of Nomadic Civilizations. The nomination initiative has received approval from Radiy Khabirov. The project team for the Eurasian Museum of Nomadic Civilizations possesses a solid methodological and scientific foundation, which will serve as a reliable basis for compiling the nomination dossier for the mausoleum.
Among the key achievements of 2025, the following were noted: the inclusion of the "Shulgan-Tash" Nature Reserve in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural site, the accession of the "Toratau" Geopark to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, the acquisition of the status of a center of competence – a UNESCO-recognized Chair "Geoparks and Sustainable Development Territories" at the Ufa University of Science and Technology (UUNT), as well as the grand opening of Russia's first international reference geological sections ("golden spikes") "Usolka" and "Dalny Tyulkas" in the territory of the "Toratau" Geopark in Gafuriysky district. The successful re-attestation of the "Yangan-Tau" Geopark two years ago confirms its role in the sustainable development of territories.
Work continues on the nomination of the Toratau, Yuraktau, and Kushtau shikhans to the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as the formation of a tourist cluster based on the Voskresensky Copper Smelting Plant and the historical monuments of the village of Verkhotor, focused on the development of the 18th-century mining and industrial civilization.
These initiatives will ensure additional protection for unique sites, enhance their international recognition, and contribute to the development of tourism and the sustainable development of the territory. As noted by Radiy Khabirov, the Republic of Bashkortostan has significant potential for further expansion of cooperation with UNESCO.
Album with photos: https://vk.com/album-226634666_310698710