Applications are open for the International Festival of Youth (IFY-2026). The Festival will be held under the national project "Youth and Children" and will take place in Ekaterinburg from September 11 to 17, 2026. The application campaign was launched on February 5 at the "Russia" National Center as part of the Marathon "Russia – family of families" of the Russian "Znanie" ("Knowledge") Society. You can apply for the International Festival of Youth until April 30 on the website wyffest.com.
The International Festival of Youth for 10,000 participants will become another event held under the auspices of the World Youth Festival, which began at “Sirius” in 2024. In accordance with the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin on preserving and developing the legacy of the WYF, international festival events for young people are held in Russia every year. In September 2025, Nizhny Novgorod hosted the World Youth Festival Assembly, which brought together 2,000 participants.
"The International Festival of Youth in Yekaterinburg will become a meeting place for 10,000 young people from all over the world. In just one month, we received more than 30,000 young people from 168 countries, including about 14,000 applications from foreign citizens. We would be happy to see at the Festival people who are ready to take responsibility for the future of the planet," said Grigory Gurov, head of Rosmolodezh.
More than 450 events dedicated to the IFY-2026 were held in Russia and around the world. In our country alone, over 62,000 young people have learned about the largest international youth event in various formats: They attended quizzes and workshops, took part in meetings with students, sports tournaments and many other events.
The IFY-2026 participants will include 5,000 Russians and 5,000 foreign citizens under the age of 35 from various fields: creative industries, public administration, science and education, sports, entrepreneurship, media, digitalization and IT, and the social sector. Traditionally, they will include teenagers aged 14 to 17 years old: 500 from Russia and 500 from foreign countries.
"We receive applications from all parts of the world – from Europe, Asia, Africa, North, Central and South America, and the Middle East. It is especially important that the interest in the Festival from foreign participants is almost comparable to the activity of Russian applicants – today we see an approximately equal ratio of applications from abroad and from our country. Such a wide and balanced geography confirms that the interest in an open, equal dialogue and joint work on the future really knows no borders. Of course, our young compatriots are also following the Festival events with great attention. Thanks to the festival movement, a space is being created in which young people from different countries will not only be able to discover with the culture and traditions of Russia, but also launch joint projects, exchange experience and build long-term relationships. I am sure that the Festival will become a point of attraction for those who are ready to take responsibility for the future and start acting today," said Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate.
The Festival's slogan goes like "Follow your dream. Together with Russia" and will become not only a space for open international dialogue and unity of peoples, but also a showcase of the best Russian projects and practices. It will show foreign young leaders the real Russia, a country of limitless opportunities where everyone can find their calling and turn a dream into reality.
The International Festival of Youth has already been presented to young people from more than 40 countries. Among them are Morocco, Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Zambia, India, Kenya, Oman, Turkey, Serbia, Argentina, Montenegro, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Tanzania, Armenia, Lebanon, Nicaragua and many others.
Foreigners who have applied for the IFY-2026 are already sharing their expectations of participating in the Festival. Sofia Tsvetanova, a junior researcher and graduate student at RUDN University from Bulgaria, noted that her decision was supported by faith in the unifying power of youth and horizontal ties between countries.
"I decided to participate in the IFН-2026 because I sincerely believe in the power of "horizontal connections" between people. Young people have the creative power to change society through creativity, initiative, and the desire for progress, and that's why I want to be part of a community that doesn't wait for the future, but builds it with its own hands right now. I think that the Festival will become an event of large–scale intellectual and cultural exchange, vivid emotions, new acquaintances and that special feeling of "unity in diversity" when you realize that despite the differences in languages, traditions and experiences, we are united by common values and a desire for development," Sofia Tsvetanova from Bulgaria shared.
The HSE graduate student Benedetta Armando from Italy has already participated in the World Youth Festival Assembly in Nizhny Novgorod in 2025. She noted that such events provide an opportunity for the exchange of ideas between young people from different countries.
"At the Festival in Ekaterinburg, I want to discuss current global challenges and understand what role youth can play in building a more stable and multipolar international system. For me, the International Festival of Youth is a platform where ideas of partnership and mutual understanding can transform from theoretical concepts into real joint initiatives. I am convinced that it is the youth who must take responsibility for the future and play a key role in building a more just and mutually understanding world. Such international platforms provide a real opportunity to learn how to build a constructive dialogue based on respect and cooperation," Benedetta Armando said.
Nicholas Adriel Leonardo Sigombing, a young business analyst from Indonesia, shared that he had never been to Russia and dreamed of becoming a participant in the sports track at the International Festival of Youth 2026. He plans to present a project for an inclusive running community aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle and creating an accessible and motivating environment for everyone who wants to practice this sport.
"I decided to participate in the IFY-2026 because I am convinced that global challenges such as climate change, energy transition and social inequality require an honest and open dialogue between young people from different regions. The Festival is a space where young leaders can go beyond online discussions and meet in person to begin real collaboration. I hope that at this event I will be able to find like-minded people from other countries and share practical experience with them. Together, we will be able to develop joint solutions that can be adapted in emerging economies. I am most interested in topics related to climate and sustainable development, especially discussions about the energy transition, youth leadership, and the sustainability of local communities. These are priority issues not only for Indonesia, but for the whole world," said Ario Usman Maulana, a student at the Institute of Petroleum Technology and founder of the youth organization "Climate Chapter Indonesia", which focuses on climate change and sustainable development initiatives from Indonesia.
After the main Festival program in Ekaterinburg, 1,000 representatives of foreign youth will go to the regional program in the format of expeditions. There will be a total of 30 expeditions to the regions of Russia, as well as to the Republic of Abkhazia. Young people will discover the main sights of the regions, take part in expeditions, communicate with indigenous peoples, see the technological achievements of the country, and learn more about the historical and cultural heritage of Russia and the centuries-old unity of hundreds of peoples.
Overview:
The World Youth Festival took place on March 1–7, 2024 at “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, festival events on the territory of the Russian Federation will be held annually. The World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod in 2025 and brought together 2,000 young people from 120 countries. In 2026, the International Festival of Youth will be 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 care about the future of the world.