On September 8, international students from Columbia and China took a boat to the Bolgar and visited the Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The excursion, annually organized by the Department of International Relations of KIU together with teachers of the Department of Russian Language and Linguistics, is part of the historical, cultural and linguistic education of international students.

The excursion began with a visit to the White Mosque - the largest and most significant mosque in the southwestern part of Tatarstan. The children admired the beauty and grandeur of the landmark. They were able to enjoy not only the external architecture of the building, but also visited the inside of the mosque and were able to see the prayer process with their own eyes.

The next stop for the students was one of the most unusual museums in Tatarstan – the Museum of Bread. It was a great surprise for them to see a real mill and study the structure from the inside. In the museum, the guys learned about the traditions and history of bread production, saw various tools that were previously used in production work, and were inspired by the spirit of everyday life of the Russian and Tatar peoples.

One of the most recognizable and significant objects of Bolgar is, of course, the Cathedral Mosque. Foreign students were told the history of this shrine and what a huge significance it has not only for the residents of Tatarstan, but also for visiting Muslims. 

In the Quran Museum, the students learned about the history of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgars and saw with their own eyes the largest printed Quran in the world, registered in the Guinness Book of Records, which made a huge impression on them. They were also impressed by the mosaic panel telling about the day of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgars as a state religion in 922.

Foreign students of the Kazan Innovative University were delighted with the trip. They were happy to learn a lot of new things and get to know the culture of the region where they study.