On April 9, the presentation of the International Festival of Youth 2026 took place at the Reception House of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Moscow.

The event brought together more than 120 representatives of foreign embassies from 84 countries, as well as international organizations. Among the participants were diplomats from Abkhazia, Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar, China, Libya, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Peru, the Republic of Korea, Slovakia, and South Ossetia.

“By decision of our President Vladimir Putin, the World Youth Festival was held in 2024 in the hospitable "Sirius" – a legacy site of the best Winter Olympic Games in history. That Festival brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries. Last year, we successfully held the World Youth Festival Assembly in Nizhny Novgorod. The interest is enormous. Today, we are preparing to welcome guests in Ekaterinburg, where the infrastructure is a legacy of the University International Sports Festival (Universiade)," recalled Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Chernyshenko.

The Deputy Prime Minister added that the International Festival of Youth will bring together more than 10,000 people. Participants will enjoy a rich and interesting program.

"The organizers have already received over 60,000 applications from 175 countries. We see that young professionals and public figures from various fields – from IT and science to sports and public administration – are ready to come," said Dmitry Chernyshenko.

Following the main program of the Festival, a unique regional program will take place across 30 destinations, timed to coincide with the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, announced by President Vladimir Putin.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that for those unable to attend in person, online access to the Festival program will be provided. The Deputy Prime Minister added that a special children's program will be organized for young people aged 14 to 17. It will provide an opportunity to develop their own initiatives with mentors from more than 60 leading world-class companies.

Dmitry Chernyshenko thanked the representatives of the diplomatic corps and the leadership of the countries for their assistance in forming national delegations. He noted that such work should be carried out as actively as possible.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that, just as two years ago when the first World Youth Festival was held on the "Sirius" federal territory, thousands of guests from around the world will gather in the Urals in September 2026 to discover modern Russia, find new friends and like-minded people, and make useful connections.

"We will be genuinely glad to see representatives of a wide range of countries from near and far abroad at the International Festival of Youth in Ekaterinburg. Young people from all corners of the Earth sincerely want to come here, meet their peers, seek something new for themselves, and perhaps even determine their future path. The Festival's rich program fully meets the objectives of establishing such friendly contacts, strengthening trust, and fostering mutual understanding. I have no doubt that representatives of different countries, peoples, cultures, civilizations, and religions will be united by what typically unites young people: the desire to learn new things, discover new interests, and understand what goals they want to achieve in life. I am confident that all Festival participants will be united by a striving for creative self-realization and harmonious interaction for the benefit of all humanity. Young people will be creating the foundations for relationships in the coming years and decades," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Head of Rosmolodezh Grigory Gurov noted that Russia is open to young people from all over the world, ready to support their aspirations and ideas, and provide them with tools for self-realization and development.

"In the capital of the Urals, on the border of Europe and Asia, the largest youth event of the year will take place. It will bring together representatives of different fields, religions, and nationalities from around the world. A total of 30% of the Festival participants will be members of the WYF community. And 70% will be those who have not previously taken part in the festival events. It is important to note that half of the Festival's program, which will feature more than 150 speakers from Russia and abroad, will be dedicated to the image of the future. Participants will discuss the challenges of the coming decades, human capital, technological and demographic changes, and how to preserve oneself, one's humanity, and respect for culture in a new world", said Head of Rosmolodezh Grigory Gurov.

The head of the federal agency said that participants can expect around 50 formats of the educational “Knowledge” track, featuring insightful lectures, discussions, and open dialogues with leading experts from Russia and abroad. The sports “Wellness” track will bring together masterclasses from renowned athletes, mass workouts, and sports competitions. The “Youth in Culture” track will allow participants to immerse in the history of Russia and the world. The “Team-building” track will help participants get to know each other and form a genuine community. An important part of the Festival will be the “Good Deeds” track, during which participants can join volunteer initiatives. In addition, excursions will introduce guests to the historical and cultural heritage of Ekaterinburg. A large-scale exhibition will showcase the achievements of Russia and its regions in science, industry, and culture.

Applications for the participation in the International Festival of Youth are open until April 30 via the following link: wyffest.com.

Overview:

The World Youth Festival took place on March 1–7, 2024 in “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, the festival events will be held annually on the territory of the Russian Federation. In 2025, the World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod and brought together 2,000 young people from 120 countries. In the year 2026, the International Festival of Youth will 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 are passionate about the future of the world.