After completing the main Assembly's program, 200 foreign participants of the World Youth Festival Assembly went on a trip to the cities of Russia. During the trips, they will get acquainted with the culture and traditions of Russia, achievements in economics, science and education, sports, technology and other fields.
"The World Youth Festival Assembly was not limited to the program in Nizhny Novgorod. After the main program events, 200 young leaders from 67 countries went on a trip to 10 regions of Russia, where they will see memorable places for our country, get acquainted with the cultural and national diversity of Russia, and visit technological and industrial enterprises. The regional hospitality program includes the Ivanovo, Omsk, Yaroslavl, Sakhalin, Chelyabinsk Regions, the Republic of Mordovia, the Republic of Khakassia, the Chechen Republic, the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area and St. Petersburg. Such a wide geography will allow foreign participants to see the real Russia, which opens up huge opportunities for young people," said Grigory Gurov, head of Rosmolodezh.
Among the participants of the regional program are representatives of Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Italy, Venezuela, Kenya, China, Ethiopia, Morocco, Serbia, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, South Ossetia, Slovakia, Gabon and many other countries.
"The regional program is always a unique experience for our foreign guests. Last year, 2,000 Festival participants, having visited 30 cities, admitted that such a trip drastically changes the image of Russia. They saw the real life of the country, its culture and people's hospitality. This year we are continuing the tradition: 200 young leaders will travel along unique routes to 10 regions of our country to see Russia with their own eyes without filters — generous, diverse and hospitable," said Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the Directorate of the World Youth Festival.
Participants will find a rich cultural, educational, sports, and useful program in each region. Thus, as part of the regional program in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, foreign participants have already gone on a sightseeing tour of Salekhard and the city of Labytnangi, crossed the Arctic Circle, visited educational centers, and participated in a quiz on the culture of the indigenous peoples of the North.
"This trip to Yamal made a lasting impression on me, and it's hard to name only one thing - everything was really amazing. I am sincerely amazed with the deep respect with which the culture of indigenous peoples is treated here, and how carefully it is preserved. Especially, I would like to note the strong support for youth initiatives that open up huge opportunities for new generations. Unfortunately, in Latin American countries we do not have such a level of government attention, and therefore it is especially valuable for me to see how young people can implement their projects with such support. This is an experience worth looking up to," said Kitl Dian Angel, a participant in the regional hospitality program in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area from Mexico.
In the Ivanovo region, representatives of foreign countries got acquainted with the history of the city, visited universities, a concert "We are Russia" and a basketball match. They also met with Stanislav Voskresensky, Governor of the Ivanovo Region, and learned about the creation of one of the 18 campuses in Russia.
The foreign youth who went to the Omsk region got acquainted with the traditions of Russian, Tatar and Kazakh cultures. So, on the first day they were greeted with a karavai (loaf) and Russian folk dances and songs, and then they made their own gingerbread. The participants also visited an industrial enterprise, a memorial complex in the park named after the 30th anniversary of Victory, the Patriot Park with military equipment, went on a sightseeing tour of the Holy Dormition Cathedral, walked through the historical center and learned the history of the founding of the Omsk Fortress.
In the Yaroslavl region, the participants were met by Olga Stanishevskaya, the Minister of Youth Policy of the region. Then the guests toured the historical center of Yaroslavl and took photos on the Volga River and Kotorosli. The program also included a visit to the pedagogical University, where the foreign guests discussed opportunities for international students, and participation in the social project "Dressing Room of Imagination" on coloring medical gowns for children.
The first day of the regional program of the World Youth Festival Assembly in Khakassia ended with a rich program. Foreign citizens discovered the unique culture and history of the Republic. The participants were greeted according to national traditions with rituals, songs and treats. The acquaintance with Khakassia began with an excursion to the National Museum named after Mr. Kyzlasov, where the guests saw petroglyphs, ancient masks and paleontological finds. Next, the delegation visited the Izykh Mountain Mine, an open-air park with historical equipment, where participants were given a guided tour and told local legends. An important event of the day was the creation of the Alley of Friendship together with the youth organizations of the Republic. The action was attended by the head of the Altai region Irina Voynova and the Minister of Youth Policy of Khakassia Evgeniya Mainagasheva. As a result, 32 seedlings have become a living symbol of unity and memory of the World Youth Festival Assembly. The key event of the second day was a meeting with the head of the Republic of Khakassia, Valentin Konovalov, and representatives of the WYFD International Friendship Club of the region.
In Mordovia, young people from abroad have already visited the museum of Fine Arts named after Mr.Erzi, visited the ballet "Romeo and Juliet" at the Musical Theater named after Mr. Yaushev and learned how to cook the national dish "Pancake Pachat" at a cooking class. They also met with the head of the Republic of Mordovia, Artyom Zdunov, to discuss professional initiatives and share experience.
In the Chelyabinsk region, young people went on a quest tour of the city, visited South Ural State University, learned how to skate and play curling.
"My trip to Russia has helped dispel several key stereotypes. The main one is that Russians are unfriendly. I was convinced of the opposite: they are incredibly welcoming and hospitable, and I felt it in every region," said Stefan Todorcevic from Serbia.
As part of the program, a business meeting was held in the Sakhalin Region with representatives of the regional Government. The main topic of the dialogue was the prospects for the development of the region and the expansion of international cooperation. The participants asked questions and shared their ideas, supporting the course to promote Sakhalin as an open and dynamically developing territory. The Assembly participants will remember their acquaintance with the Sakhalin Region not only for business meetings, but also for vivid cultural events. The guests became spectators of the "Lube" band concert and after the performance talked with the frontman Nikolai Rastorguev, and also performed the song "Horse".
On the first day in St. Petersburg, foreign participants visited leading universities, important city enterprises, and the headquarters of the VK technology company. On the second day, the young people got acquainted with the history of St. Petersburg and learned about its contribution to the victory over fascism during the Great Patriotic War.
"What I saw here completely opposite to the picture created by the foreign media. The World Youth Festival Assembly and the regional hospitality program were a revelation for me, allowing me to show the world the real Russia. As a journalist, I consider it my task to inform the audience, especially in an environment where the Latin American media space is heavily dependent on Western narratives. Our audience demands alternative points of view, and such events are a unique chance to showcase a Russia that is almost unknown in Latin America: a country that opens up opportunities for everyone. We now have a historic chance to build a more just and multipolar world, and Russia is one of the leaders in this process. Such events clearly demonstrate that the world is really changing, and we can be active participants in these changes," said Leila Mariana Bitar from Argentina.
In the Chechen Republic, foreign guests visited the key sights of the city, including the Heart of Chechnya Mosque, the Grozny City observation deck, and the Stairway to Heaven tourist site. They also joined a charity event for children with disabilities and went to the Khoi Historical and architectural complex.
Overview:
In accordance with the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on preserving and developing the legacy of the World Youth Festival, which took place on the Sirius Federal Territory in 2024 and united 20,000 young people from 190 countries of the world, festival events on the territory of the Russian Federation will be held annually. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will be held in 2030. In 2026, there will be a smaller event, an International Youth Festival with 10,000 participants. In between, the World Youth Festival’s themed Assemblies will be held annually for 2,000 participants. The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.
