Ekaterinburg Speaking, a special project prepared for the International Festival of Youth, will explore the Russian cultural code through the live voices, emotions and personal stories of international and Russian participants in the Festival. As part of the project, 12 episodes of documentary video interviews and accompanying articles will be released, in which international guests from various countries – from Serbia to Brazil – share their discoveries about Russia. The project is being carried out with support from the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.
Ekaterinburg Speaking offers a look at the Russian cultural code through the lens of real human stories: what those who come to discover Russia see in it, and what those who grew up here have to say about it.
Among the participants are a lecturer from the Harbin Conservatory of Music who researches ballet, a singer-songwriter from Venezuela, a dentist from Indonesia, an environmentalist from Kenya, and a rescue worker from the UAE. On the Russian side, participants come from Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Samara Region, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Yakutia, Buryatia, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and Moscow.
"Projects aimed at international audiences that show Russia through the eyes of their own compatriots help dispel the myths built up around our country. This is a dialogue about culture, friendship, people, and the values that resonate with guests visiting Russia. Ekaterinburg Speaking is an example of a youth cultural and educational project with the potential for serious audience reach, thanks to support from an outdoor advertising operator. During the days of the IFY in Ekaterinburg, the project will help young people in Russia learn more about foreigners, and give international guests a chance to learn more about our country. I believe that when the project's participants share their impressions of the Festival, the Urals, and Russian hospitality on their own social media, their followers and friends will learn more about the culture of our homeland," noted Roman Karmanov, General Director of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives and Chairman of the Russian Commission for the Development of Creative Industries of the Civic Chamber.
The interviews will explore 12 themes of the Russian cultural code: native language and multilingualism; memory of the Victory and the connection between generations; sobornost (communal unity) and the extended family; hospitality and the table; craftsmanship and traditional trades; the nature and character of the North; traditional foundations; music and folk song; reading and a literature-centered culture; the image of home; labor and creation; and openness to the world alongside dignity.
"There are a lot of stereotypes about Russia, but our culture is not just matryoshkas and balalaikas – though those are part of it too. Ekaterinburg Speaking is a project about cultural code, identity, and shared history. Through real stories, we want to show Russia as it truly is: modern, multifaceted, open. Foreigners come to discover our country and notice things that have become so familiar to us that we no longer see them. Their perspective is a reason for us to look at our own culture with fresh eyes. The name comes from the phrase 'Moscow Speaking' [Govorit Moskva] — the voice of Yuri Levitan, which is the sound of historical memory itself. Whenever those words were heard, the whole world would stop and listen, knowing something important was about to be said. We also want to talk about something important: who we are. And in Ekaterinburg, that conversation is being carried by young people from all over the world," explained project lead Yuri Tychinsky.
The project's materials will be published in outlets across 22 Russian regions and their social media communities. In addition, the project's participants will welcome Festival guests via media facades run by the MAER group in Ekaterinburg and Moscow.
A key event of the project will be a charity initiative on the grounds of First President of Russia Boris Yeltsin Ural Federal University. Participants will plant the Alley of the Cultural Code, together planting several dozen apple trees and lilac bushes. The event will continue with a concert where European classical music will be performed alongside Latin American dance, African folk song, and the music of Dunaevsky: an instrumental quartet will perform Mozart, Strauss and Paul Mauriat, a saxophone-and-guitar duo will play Piazzolla and Jobim, and a choir will perform the South African song "Siyahamba" and "Song of the Motherland."
"As many as 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries will be coming to the International Festival of Youth. What matters especially is that it will be these very people who tell others about our country back home – sharing their personal impressions, stories and emotions with friends, colleagues and followers. That is why projects like Ekaterinburg Speaking are so significant: they help people see contemporary Russia without stereotypes – through people, culture, and genuine human connection. I believe that the dialogue that has begun in Ekaterinburg will continue long after the Festival ends," noted Dmitry Ivanov, General Director of the World Youth Festival Directorate.
Overview:
The World Youth Festival took place in Sirius on March 1-7, 2024, 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 line with the Russian President’s instructions to preserve and further develop the legacy of the World Youth Festival, festival events are now held annually across the Russian Federation. In 2025, the World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod, bringing together 2,000 young people from 120 countries. In 2026, the International Festival of Youth will welcome 10,000 participants. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will take place in 2030.
The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work to strengthen international youth cooperation and develop a global community of young people committed to shaping a better future.