Employees of the Bulgarian Islamic Academy have advanced their qualifications at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

      Employees of the Bulgarian Islamic Academy — Head of the International Relations Department Ilnur Gataullin and Department employee Alia Abu Griekanah — successfully completed training at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia under the advanced training program "The Religious Factor in International Relations." This educational course was specifically designed for representatives of centralized religious organizations and leading spiritual educational institutions in the country. The main goal of the program is to strengthen competencies in the field of international cooperation and to deeply study the role of religion in contemporary global processes. During the five-day intensive, participants attended a series of lectures from leading experts, diplomats, and scholars. Special attention was paid to the key priorities of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation and the analysis of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. The program also covered issues of state-confessional relations in Russia and abroad, presenting participants with a rich domestic experience of interaction between the authorities and religious institutions. Separate blocks of training addressed current issues of countering international extremism and terrorism, as well as the prospects for the development of humanitarian cooperation in the international space. Upon completion of the program, Ilnur Gataullin and Alia Abu Griekanah were awarded corresponding certificates of advanced training.