Sabantuy 2015 in London

On the 27th June in the city of London the UK Tatar Association held the festival of Sabantuy.

At the grand opening of the celebration there were welcoming speeches that were made by Ambassador of Uzbekistan in the United Kingdom Otabek Akbarov, also amongst the attendees was the Ambassador of Tajikstan in the United Kingdom Erkin Kasymov, and the organiser of Sabantuy the Chairman of the UK Tatar Association Ramil Rifmir uly Minullin. The delegate of the Republic of Tatarstan delivered the WELCOMING of the President of Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Nurgali uly Minnikhanov, then the guests and the organiser of the festival under the national anthem of the Republic of Tatarstan took part in the raising of the Sabantuy flag, which marked the official opening of the festival.

Sometime later during the concert part of the Sabantuy, which was run by Ildar Kiyamov who is a broadcaster for the channel TNV and Daniel Harrison in English, Rustam Asaev who is an honoured artist of the Republic of Tatarstan and singer Gulnaz Asaeva performed, Ildar Kiyamov also performed Tatar songs , Regina Saidasheva, Leah Chanisheva, Aybulat Yanturin who danced the Bashkir dance. Traditionally, the festival could not commence without the Sabantuy games: sack races, running with an egg on a spoon, battle with bags on a log and retrieving a coin that is buried in yoghurt. The main sporting event which is held on Sabantuy is waist sash wrestling “Kuresh” which included Tatar, Bashkir and British participants. The absolute Batyr – in other words, the winner of the wrestling contest was an Englishman Tom Richardson. In addition a contest between the veterans of the sport was held, which an Englishman took first place, giving to Darrin Richardson who is the father of Tom Richardson. Second place went to Adam Lindop also a Briton. Refereeing the wrestling matches was Vadim Kolganov. The absolute Batyr was awarded with valuable gifts, such as the medal of the Universiade from Kazan and a watch from Kazan Kremlin, and from the UK Tatar Association gold medals were awarded with the Kuresh emblem on it.

During the festival of Sabantuy, there was an opportunity for people to give a low sum of their personal funds towards a charitable fund which in return they received treats they could taste, such as Tatar dishes echpochpak, peremyach, chak-chak and the Uzbek plov. The total collected during the charity event in donations was of £1150 pounds (100 thousand rubles) which will go towards the orphanage homes in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan.

The leadership of the UK Tatar Association noted that during this year in the organisation and assistance in carrying out the festival of Sabantuy came along and joined new, very kind and lovely young people. The Tatar Association would like to in particular turn attention and thank – the lovely Kabirov’ sisters Galiya and Nuria.

The world is not without good people!
Many thanks to all!
A warm thanks for such wonderful work and support of our joint common culture and history of the Tatar people.