Russian traveler, polar explorer and public figure Matvey Shparo took part in the dialogue “Russia of Great Achievements: To Travel, To Discover, To Win,” held as part of the International Festival of Youth – 2026 in Ekaterinburg. After the meeting, he shared the main idea he hoped to convey to his audience.

“The whole idea behind my talk was that young people should dream – and no matter how bold or crazy those dreams might be, everything should work out for them in life. That’s exactly what I wanted to convey, and I think it came through,” shared Matvey Shparo.

The traveler regularly organizes various expeditions and events for Russian schoolchildren in Karelia, Crimea, Krasnodar Territory, and even at the North Pole. International guests of the International Festival of Youth were also curious about how they could take part in similar journeys.

“During the meeting, a wonderful young woman from Brazil asked how an international participant could join the Great Arctic Expedition, and I told her we’d work on that and possibly put something together with Rosmolodezh. At the very least, I’ll do what I can to make sure that, in the future, this kind of format can welcome international participants too,” said Matvey Shparo.

It was harder to give a clear-cut answer to the question of where to go first in Russia and where to begin getting to know the country, he said.

“Our wonderful country is so vast and so diverse that it’s hard to pick just one place. If we’re talking about culture, I’d definitely say you have to visit St. Petersburg. And when it comes to nature, I have three places competing for the top spot, and I genuinely can’t choose a favorite – Karelia, Lake Baikal, or Kamchatka. Our country has so many beautiful places, but beauty is a subjective thing, and for some reason, those three places strike me as the most compelling,” Matvey Shparo admitted.

He also offered some parting words to all participants of the International Festival of Youth, encouraging them to pursue their goals despite any difficulties.

“During our conversation, the young people asked a lot of questions, and I gave a copy of the book ‘The Two Captains’ to the one I thought was best. It’s a wonderful work, and its guiding refrain goes like this: people must fight, seek, find, and never give up. That’s my wish for every young person in these challenging times: seek out your own path and keep moving along it, no matter what obstacles or barriers stand in your way,” said the traveler.

Overview:

The International Festival of Youth, held as part of the Youth and Children national project, is taking place in Ekaterinburg from September 11 to 17, 2026. The decree establishing the event was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 29, 2025. The Festival is being held under the motto “Follow Your Dream”.

Participants of the IFY – 2026 include 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries, including 5,000 Russians and 5,000 international citizens. Among them are leading representatives of creative industries and the arts, public administration, science and education, sport, entrepreneurship, media, digitalization and IT, and civic engagement – people who are already shaping the future of their countries and the world. Continuing the successful practice established at the World Youth Festival 2024, those invited include 1,000 teenagers aged 14 to 17 – 500 from Russia and 500 from abroad. The Children’s Program is organized by the Movement of the First.

The World Youth Festival took place from March 1 to 7, 2024, in Sirius, in accordance with a decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at developing international youth cooperation. The WYF-2024 brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries.

In line with instructions from Russia’s President on preserving and building on the legacy of the World Youth Festival, festival events are now held annually across Russia. The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work to strengthen international youth cooperation and build a community of young people who care about the future of the world.