The International Festival of Youth has concluded in Ekaterinburg, having brought together 10,000 participants from 191 countries. A thousand international participants are continuing to explore Russia as part of the IFY – 2026 Regional Program. Foreign participants have already given Russia strongly positive marks, according to the opinion survey conducted at the Festival.
The survey on the International Festival of Youth and on Russia itself involved 1,987 people. The sample included 961 international participants, 792 Russian participants, and 234 Ekaterinburg residents. According to the results, 80% of respondents held a positive view of Russia before the Festival, rising to 95% afterward. The share of those who rate the country "very positively" grew from 42% to 67%. In addition, when answering open-ended questions, international participants admitted to envying the young people who live in Russia and the opportunities open to them. 68% of foreign participants said they admire Russia, and 28% said they were inspired by Russia after taking part in the IFY – 2026. Russian participants, meanwhile, most often named pride in their country as their primary emotion – felt by 97% of those surveyed.
"The International Festival of Youth let us show international participants the real Russia, free of imposed stereotypes – its openness of spirit and its hospitality. According to our study, 99.5% of international participants said they felt genuine happiness visiting Russia, and 92% are ready to come back again after taking part in the IFY – 2026. It's also telling how participants embraced our culture themselves: the song 'Matushka-Zemlya' became the Festival's unofficial folk anthem, young people from all over the world learned 'Katyusha,' and they recited memorized poems by Pushkin, Fet and Tyutchev during tours around Ekaterinburg. Getting to know Russia continues as part of the Festival's Regional Program: 1,000 international participants have already set off for 35 regions of the country – from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean. There, they'll get to know people's everyday lives, the culture and traditions of the regions, see just how diverse Russia can be, and how open it always is to its friends," noted Rosmolodezh head Grigory Gurov.
Participants also shared their impressions at the Festival grounds.
"I knew the Urals could get cold, and I was a little worried packing my suitcase. But you don't even feel that cold here. When you're surrounded by such open, smiling people, when there's so much energy, laughter and warmth all around, the minus temperatures outside turn into something like a fairy-tale backdrop. I'm leaving here not just with a suitcase full of memories, but with new friends and a clear understanding that borders only exist on maps, not in people's minds," shared Phattharawadee Ouansin, an IFY – 2026 participant from Thailand.
"What I appreciate most about Russians is their openness. It's very similar to our own traditions in Africa: in my country, Burundi, we also welcome guests with joy and warmth. And I see that same spirit here, in Russia. My new Russian friends have already promised to teach me the Russian language," shared Egide Ininahazwe, an IFY – 2026 participant from Burundi.
"During my visit, I was genuinely struck by Russia's hospitality and warmth. People here are truly glad to welcome everyone. Russia consistently stands up for human rights and offers the world a fair vision of tomorrow. I'm convinced that mutual respect, friendship and taking everyone's interests into account is the only true, just path of development," said Mohammed Ismail, a blogger and IFY – 2026 participant from the UAE.
For many guests, it was Russian culture that brought them here – and it was here that many decided to stay.
"I love Russian music, culture, the atmosphere, but what I love most are the people. They're open, sincere, honest – nothing like the stereotypes. This was my first time in Russia and my first time on another continent, and it's one of the most vivid experiences of my life, because this trip to Ekaterinburg let me get to know the real Russia," shared Guillermo Ernesto Perez Leon, an IFY – 2026 participant from Chile.
"I became so drawn to Russian culture, especially rock music, that once, while visiting Russia, I even went to a concert by the band Aria just to meet the musicians in person. In the coming years, I'm planning to come back again –I want to enroll in a postgraduate program, so I can live here for a few years and learn even more about Russia," shared Jose Luis Mejia Aguilar, an IFY – 2026 participant from Mexico.
Through September 23, the Regional Program for young leaders from 117 countries is taking place across 35 regions of Russia, as well as in the Republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The program will introduce IFY – 2026's international participants to Russia's achievements, immersing them in the country's cultural and historical context, and in the traditions of its peoples and its people themselves.
International guests will visit themed museums – from Russian folk crafts to a Tatar homestead – and take part in traditional craft master classes: felting, gold embroidery, and pottery. They will also learn about Russian industry and modern technology, visiting robotics labs, IT and engineering enterprises, and educational spaces. At the end of each route, participants will put together proposals for developing the country's economy and strengthening international cooperation, unlocking the media and tourism potential of the regions, attracting foreign specialists, and carrying out joint projects. The IFY – 2026 Regional Program is being run by Rosmolodezh's More Than Trip program and the World Youth Festival Directorate.