From July 15 to 17, the World Youth Development Forum is taking place in Suzhou, China, bringing together two thousand participants from more than 100 countries, including Russia. The Russian delegation, led by Deputy Head of Rosmolodezh Egor Litvinenko, included representatives of the World Youth Festival Directorate (WYFD), the Russian Youth Union, the Movement of the First, and Oleg Gazmanov's national project Rodniki.
The World Youth Development Forum serves as a platform for multilateral dialogue between representatives of government agencies, youth organizations and movements, and key players in global politics.
In 2025, the event is held under the motto "Unlock your potential for global development." The forum's central theme will focus on youth development within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals until 2030.
On the first day of the forum, Egor Litvinenko, Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Youth, took part in the plenary session "Dialogue with Ministers." He expressed his gratitude to the Chinese side for organizing such a large-scale event and emphasized the importance of uniting young people around the principles of a multipolar world, equality, and international cooperation. Additionally, he shared Russia's experience in promoting traditional spiritual and moral values among the younger generation.
"Rosmolodezh emphasises on preserving spiritual and moral values among young people. These values include patriotism, service to society, and a commitment to what is happening around us. These principles are not just declared; they are embedded in the national project "Youth and Children," which we launched this year on the instructions of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Our mission is to create an environment where young people's ideas and initiatives are supported, from conception to implementation. It is crucial that every young person is aware of these opportunities. It is also necessary not only to support them, but also to mentor them and accompany these initiatives. Supporting talented and active young people in various fields remains an absolute priority of Russia's state youth policy", said Egor Litvinenko.
Participants will attend sessions where they will discuss issues of eco-friendly consumption and sustainable development, artificial intelligence and innovation in science and technology, as well as the protection of cultural heritage. One of the key events will be the Subcommission on Cooperation in the Field of Youth Policy of the Russian-Chinese Commission on Humanitarian Cooperation, where representatives of Russia and China will discuss the realization of the expanding Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation roadmap until 2030.
"The participation of the Russian delegation in the World Youth Development Forum is a significant opportunity to exchange experience, present advanced Russian approaches in the field of youth policy and strengthen international cooperation. It is gratifying that Russian approaches based on the principles of equal dialogue and creative cooperation are finding more and more supporters in the international community. Our initiatives are of great interest, and partners are expressing their readiness to implement joint projects, which confirms the growing authority of Russia as an expert center in the field of youth policy. This is a natural result of systematic work, and we intend to continue to make a significant contribution to the formation of the global youth agenda", emphasized Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate Dmitry Ivanov.
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.
On the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, the WYF will be held in Russia on a regular basis – once in six years. Also, every six years 10,000 young people from all over the world will get together at the World Youth Festival Forum, and in between, international themed assemblies for 2,000 participants will be held under the auspices of the WYF. The first Assembly is scheduled to take place in September 2025 in Nizhny Novgorod. Festival events of various formats will be held in Russia annually.
According to the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation on the preservation and development of the Festival legacy, the World Youth Festival Directorate continues the work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.
