A teacher leads a Tatar language class at the Tatar cultural center in Moscow on February 21, 2026. Photo: Screengrab/ Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - In a classroom at the Tatar cultural center in Moscow, children of different ages gather to study their mother tongue, as part of efforts to preserve their mother tongue outside their home republic.
In Russia’s Tatarstan Republic, Tatar is an official language alongside Russian and is used in education from primary school through university. However, in Moscow and several other Russian cities, Tatar children study their language in specialized schools and cultural centers.
More than 190 ethnic groups and 277 languages and dialects have been recorded across the country. While Russian is the state language, more than 50 languages have official status in their regions, and education is provided in over 100 languages.
Teachers at the Moscow center work on a voluntary basis, focusing on preserving national cultural identity.
“In recent years, interest in our mother tongue, the Tatar language, has increased significantly,” Rozaliye Xanyafiyeva, a Tatar language teacher, told Rudaw on Saturday.
“The mother tongue is vital for all nations. This is because a person who does not know their mother tongue does not know their history either, and such a people has no future," said Xanyafiyeva, adding that "for us, language and faith are our highest priorities. That is why interest in the Tatar language is currently growing, and many people want to learn it.”
Parents say the center also promotes cultural education.
“My daughter is eight years old, and she is learning her mother tongue here,” said volunteer teacher Asiye Batkayeva, noting that her daughter "isn't just learning the language; she is also learning Tatar culture and art."
"Protecting one's language and cultural code is, in principle, the guarantee of every nation’s survival. Through understanding the language, culture, songs, and dances, our children delve into the depths of their people's culture. They come to know it and achieve a sense of belonging,” she said.
The center also offers music, dance, and theater activities alongside language classes.
“At this center, besides language learning, we sing, dance, and perform theater,” said Ilmira Galimova, a music and choreography teacher. “Through these creative activities, we learn our native Tatar language. Last year there were only five people in my class; this year, there are 15. This means there is a real desire; parents want their children to learn the Tatar language.”
In recent years, older Tatar residents of Moscow have also joined the courses.
Although the languages of different ethnic groups are constitutionally protected in Russia, 15 languages have recently been added to the list of extinct languages.
Kamiz Shadadi contributed to this report from Moscow.
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