On March 10, a webinar dedicated to the World Youth Festival movement and the opportunities available for youth in Russia was held in Botswana. The event was organized by the Project Office of the World Youth Festival Directorate in Botswana.

The event brought together more than 30 young people from Botswana, Zambia, and Nigeria, including participants of the World Youth Festival 2024. They learned about the opportunities offered by the International Festival of Youth, implemented under the national project "Youth and Children," and the prospects of such international initiatives. Special attention was paid to the importance of international youth co-creation, cultural exchange, and building global professional connections.

Kabert Kayode Ogidan, Technical Director of Ofada Technical School Limited from Nigeria, emphasized that large-scale international events help young people find like-minded peers from other countries and build long-term international ties. Participating in the World Youth Festival allowed him to meet representatives from various countries and continue collaborating with them after the event.

"I wanted to show young people that they have the opportunity to meet people from different cultures, find professional and investment opportunities, and develop their projects. When I participated in the World Youth Festival, I met people from different countries and am still in touch with them. These relationships help me implement new projects. Russia gave me a unique platform for communication and collaboration. Events like this help overcome cultural barriers, better understand one another, and build international partnerships," said Kabert Kayode Ogidan.

During the webinar, young participants also shared their expectations for taking part in the IFY-2026 in Ekaterinburg, which will be held from September 11 to 17.

"I would like to take part in the International Festival of Youth to meet new people and exchange ideas. I want to share my experience of starting a small business and discuss how young people can develop entrepreneurship even using minimal resources," shared Blessing Leramo, a webinar participant.

Oluwatobi Sojimi, another participant, noted that he wants to present a project at the Festival aimed at developing digital skills and technologies for small businesses. According to him, such an initiative can help entrepreneurs from developing countries use modern tools for growth and development.

Overview:

The World Youth Festival took place on March 1–7, 2024 at “Sirius”, according to the Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the development of international youth cooperation. The WYF-2024 brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries.

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, festival events on the territory of the Russian Federation will be held annually. The World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod in 2025 and brought together 2,000 young people from 120 countries. In 2026, the International Festival of Youth will be gather 10,000 participants. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will be held in 2030.

The World Youth Festival Directorate continues the work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation and developing a community of young people who care about the future of the world.