Penza, 19 December 2011. PenzaNews. Tatar National and Cultural Automy was initiated in Issinsky district of the Penza region. This public organization is now in the process of obtaining registration.

Residents of Issa Khalil Bakhmetov, Rafik Yusupov and Misalim Manyurov are the founders of the organization.

Rafik Yusupov explained: “Realization of the right to national and cultural autonomy does not prejudice the interests of other ethnic communities. It is not a right to national and territorial self-determination. Autonomy rules out any use and propaganda of violence and incitement to national, racial and religious hate”.

In his words, the main aim of the autonomy is to preserve, promote and develop national traditions and cultural and religious heritage of Tatars in Issinskiy district as well as to foster cooperation and mutual understanding with other nationalities and public organizations operating in the territory of the Russian Federation, as the district newspaper “Vpered” reports.