First Deputy Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Director of the Center for Islamic Studies of St. Petersburg State University, Executive Secretary of the Muslim International Forum, Professor, Doctor of Theology Damir Mukhetdinov became a member of the Russian Coordination Committee of the Forum of Civil Societies of Russia and Germany "Petersburg Dialogue". The decision to include him in the committee was made by the Chairman of the Russian Coordination Committee of the Forum Viktor Zubkov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Interaction with the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gazprom.

Muslim holidays and significant events are celebrated annually according to the Islamic calendar-Hijri, the chronology of which is conducted from the date of migration (Hijra) of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622. Due to the fact that the Muslim lunar calendar consists of 12 lunar months and lasts mainly 354 days, which is 10 or 11 days shorter than the solar year, the days of Muslim religious holidays are shifted each year relative to the Gregorian calendar.

Chairman of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation and the Russia Mufties Council , General Secretary of the Muslim International Forum Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin sent condolences to the leadership of the Republic of Indonesia in relation with the death of people in a plane crash off the coast of Indonesia on 9th January 2021

The Muslim International Forum, which takes place annually in December, traditionally becomes a summing up of the year and formulates the current development vectors for the coming year. 2020 was a very unusual and complex year, full of events and new ideas in its own way. The most significant results of 2020 are analyzed in a traditional interview following the discussions of the XVI International Muslim Forum "The culture of encounter: religious ethics during the pandemic" by the Executive Secretary of the MIF, First Deputy Chairman of the RBM of the Russian Federation, Doctor of theology Damir Mukhetdinov.

The organizing Committee of the Muslim International Forum expresses deepest condolences in relation to the death of the mother of the Executive Secretary of the MIF Damir-hazrat Mukhetdinov.