On September 4, a meeting between representatives of student media outlets from the Sverdlovsk Region and organizers of the International Festival of Youth 2026 took place at the House of Journalists in Ekaterinburg. Participants discussed the Festival's program and opportunities for professional collaboration between Russian and international young journalists.

Around 20 representatives of the region's university media outlets took part in the open dialogue. The meeting served as a platform for discussing how young journalists could cover the year's largest international youth event, connect with international counterparts, and create joint media projects.

"As many as 10,000 participants from 191 countries have been invited to the International Festival of Youth in Ekaterinburg. Among the Festival's participants and guests will be more than a thousand media representatives, including more than 200 from international media outlets and bloggers. I want to speak especially to student media representatives: you will have the chance to connect with international colleagues, create content together, and build new professional relationships. Student media today play an important role in shaping international youth cooperation, because it is through you that young people from different countries can learn about one another, find shared interests, and launch joint initiatives," said Vakhtang Khiklandze, Deputy General Director for External Communications at the World Youth Festival Directorate.

He also noted that a large-scale informational campaign was carried out in various countries as part of the Festival's application campaign. Through invitations placed on banners and digital screens, young people in different parts of the world learned about Ekaterinburg and the upcoming international event.

The meeting also featured remarks from Alexander Levin, head of the Union of Journalists of the Sverdlovsk Region, and Denis Protasov, Director of the Department of Youth Policy of the Sverdlovsk Region. They spoke about the role of student media in developing the region's youth and journalism community, and about opportunities for professional growth for young writers.

The International Festival of Youth, held as part of the Youth and Children national project, will take place in Ekaterinburg from September 11 to 17, 2026. The Ural capital will bring together 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries and become the World Youth City. Participants in the event will include leading representatives of creative industries and the arts, public administration, science and education, sport, entrepreneurship, media, digitalization and IT, and civic engagement.

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.