Kazan holds its first "Ädäbi Fest": three days of Tatar literature, a book market, lectures and Tuqay's poetry

From 9 to 11 October the National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan is hosting the first "Ädäbi Fest", a festival of Tatar literature. It is organised by the Writers' Union of Tatarstan together with the World Forum of Tatar Youth; the idea and artistic direction come from the Union's deputy chairman Ilyas Farkhullin. Its aim is to bring Tatar literature and language closer to readers of all ages.

The programme includes a literary market with some 20 sellers of books, postcards and clothing, a book-swap corner, "Open University" lectures on literature, culture and history, and a children's area. Documentaries about the writers Hasan Tufan and Fatih Amirkhan are being shown to a wide audience for the first time, and seven short scenes based on Ğabdulla Tuqay's poems are staged over two days.

At the "Bağışlaw" literary and musical evening on 9 October, actors of the Kamal Tatar Theatre, the Ekiyat puppet theatre and young actors of the Kariev Tatar Youth Theatre performed poems by Tuqay, Dărdmänd, Hasan Tufan, Hadi Taqtash and young poets. The festival closes on 11 October with a gala featuring actors of the Tinchurin Theatre.