The Kazan Marathon will advocate for safety: the new mission of the 2026 race.

      The annual May run in the capital of Tatarstan will not be limited to a sports program. In 2026, the organizers are transforming the event into a major educational platform where tens of thousands of participants and guests will be able to learn modern methods of personal safety and countering destructive ideologies.

      Sport as a vector of education: why the concept is changing. From May 1 to 3, Kazan will host the sixteenth traditional marathon, which this year will gather about 45,000 athletes from various regions of the Russian Federation and abroad. However, the organizers announced a fundamental expansion of the social mission of the event. In addition to sports records, the marathon is becoming a platform for spreading anti-terrorist narratives and forming a stable culture of safety among youth. The apparatus of the anti-terrorist commission for the Republic of Tatarstan explained that the integration of preventive themes into mass events is part of systematic educational work. Sport disciplines and unites, and when it is supported by clear educational meanings, the effectiveness of its impact on the young audience increases manifold. "Sport is strength, discipline, and unity. The integration of educational content into an event of this scale allows us to reach the widest audience. Such initiatives strengthen public consciousness and create a solid culture of safety among youth," emphasized the head of the ATC apparatus in Tatarstan, Ildus Garaev, who traditionally participates in the race himself.

      What guests and runners will see in the educational zone. At the marathon site, a specialized interactive zone organized by the Academy of Creative Youth of Tatarstan will continue to operate. Here, young assistants to the head of the ATC apparatus will explain through practical examples:

      · how to recognize attempts to involve individuals in illegal activities via the internet;

      · what modern recruitment methods exist and how to counter them;

      · how to maintain personal safety in public places and the digital environment.

      A special informational booklet titled "Finish Without Losses," developed specifically for the marathon, will be a feature of 2026. As public assistant to the head of the ATC apparatus in Tatarstan, head of the republican program "We are the World," Elizaveta Gonzova, explained, the print run exceeded 20,000 copies. The booklets will be included in the starter packs for participants in the 3 km and 10 km distances. The leaflets explain the latest fraud schemes and provide recommendations on how not to become an accomplice to a crime from the position of a victim.

      Media facade as the main screen of safety. An impressive element of the preventive campaign will be the use of a media facade on the "Tatmedia" building on Dekabristov Street. On this huge screen during the marathon days, an anti-terrorist video titled "We Are Against Terrorism" will be broadcast. The main goal of the video is to form a stable and unequivocally negative attitude towards the ideology of terrorism and extremist manifestations among youth.

      Where and when to join. The starting town and fan zone will traditionally be located at the Central Stadium. Entry to the educational zone is free for all participants and guests of the marathon without exception.

      Key dates of the races:

      · May 1 – children's races TIMERBABY and TIMERKIDS, as well as a special race "Special Children";

      · May 2 – distances of 10 km and 3 km, in the evening – Parade of Nations and a concert with the group "Avaria";

      · May 3 – main competitions: marathon (42.2 km) and half marathon (21.1 km), as well as the Russian Marathon Championship (broadcast on "Match TV").

      The organizers invite everyone concerned about safety to visit the interactive platform. As emphasized by the anti-terrorist commission, the education of rejection of destructive ideologies begins with an open conversation, and the Kazan Marathon 2026 provides a unique opportunity for such dialogue in the format of live communication and a sports celebration.