The participants of the SPROUTS forum will be able to consolidate their agreements at tea ceremonies

Traditionally, within the framework of the exhibition of the III International Forum "SPROUTS: Russia and China – mutually beneficial cooperation" August 18-19, 2025 Tea ceremonies will be held in Chinese, Tatar and Russian tea areas. Participants in the business programme of the forum will be able to combine useful negotiations and agreements with a pleasant stay in special tea areas with tasting of elite varieties of tea. This is a space for informal communication, restoring energy and getting to know the traditions of tea culture.

China is the recognized birthplace of tea. According to the legend, the drink was created by Emperor Shen-nong around 2737 BC, when the leaves of the tea tree fell into a bowl of hot water. The name "tea" comes from the Chinese "chi", which means "young leaf". This legend brought tea ceremonies to the SPROUTS forum.

The Chinese and Russian tea zone is represented by the Tea Culture Club "Moichai.Ru" is a major international project that recently presented its site in Kazan. This is not just a tea room, but a unique space combining a shop, a tea bar and a cultural club. The project's specialists grow experimental varieties of tea in Georgia, work with authentic raw materials from 1,000-year-old Thai trees and create new varieties such as GABA tea from the Chinese province of Fujian.

Special attention is paid to the Russian tea heritage. Tea began to appear in Russia at the end of the XVI — beginning of the XVII century due to diplomatic contacts with China. Within the framework of the "Russian Herbs" direction, functional herbal preparations are produced, pressed into tiles according to the traditions of the 19th century. This method dates back to the era of Russian merchants who adopted the technology of tea pressing in Wuhan and adapted it to Russian herbs. The project is being implemented under the leadership of Alexey Belyakov in cooperation with the Moscow State Institute of Food Production and will be presented in the Russian tea zone at the SPROUTS forum.

Tatarstan's rich culture and traditions will be united in the Tatar tea area of the Tugan Avylym restaurant, where traditional tea drinking will turn into a real culinary adventure. Guests will be able to taste and appreciate traditional Tatar sweets such as chak-chak, talkysh-kaleve, as well as purchase a variety of souvenirs in memory of Tatarstan.

"The tea market today is a dynamically growing industry. Companies and entrepreneurs of the industry will present the best varieties of tea, and guests will be able to taste them and dive into the history and culture of tea. More than 400 types of tea and herbs from all over the world will be presented at our site, as well as original drinks created with a deep understanding of tea art," said Taliya Minullina, Head of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency.

Opening hours of tea shops on the SPROUTS forum
August 18: 9.00-19.00
August 19: 9.00-15.00
Location: Pavilion 2, Kazan Expo IEC

More detailed information and the programme of the SPROUTS forum can be found on the website: https://russiachinaforum.com

III International Forum "SPROUTS: Russia and China – mutually beneficial cooperation" will be held in Kazan on August 18-19. Participants from 32 countries, 59 regions of Russia and 24 territorial administrative divisions of China have registered for the forum. 11 government delegations and at least 200 Chinese corporations are expected to arrive, Minullina said. About 10 thousand people will take part in the forum.

The business programme includes such areas as interstate dialogue, economics, industry, education, business and entrepreneurship, business associations, finance and investments, culture, media, law, transport, agriculture, tourism and construction. The programme includes about 100 events, including 70 business sessions. It is planned to conclude about 20 agreements at the forum.

The Directorate of International Programmes is the operator for the preparation and holding of the SPROUTS Forum.