In February, presentations of the upcoming International Festival of Youth in Ekaterinburg, implemented under the national project "Youth and Children", were held in nine countries around the world. Representatives of the World Youth Festival Directorate told about the largest international event on the track of youth cooperation for young people from Libya, the Central African Republic, Egypt, Algeria, Zambia, Tanzania, India, Sri Lanka, and Senegal.

During the presentations, young people will learn about the history of the festival movement, the mission and goals of the event, the general idea of the IFY-2026, the program tracks and the formats of activities of the future Festival. They will also learn how to apply, as well as about the volunteer corps that will help the organizers and participants.

In total, more than 400 people took part in thematic presentations for a foreign audience. Those who have already participated in the WYFD events shared their impressions and expectations, as well as told their personal stories, showing memorable souvenirs and merch of the festival events.

“When I joined the Festival in 2024 and 2025, it was a turning point of my life. I also made friends from countries around the world. And this is what made me want to share it with the youth in my country. I believe that the Festival is not just an event, it is a real turning point and a big change for every ambitious young person”, – said** Ahmed Abdulsalam Bilras Ali**, Head of the WYFD Project Office in Libya.

Representatives of Egyptian youth noted the importance of holding youth festivals.

“From our experience in previous festivals and related events, we have seen how these gatherings create meaningful dialogue and friendships across cultures. They play an important role in promoting mutual understanding and contributes to building a more balanced and multipolar world through youth dialogue and collaboration”, – shared Mohammed Osama from Egypt, the WYF-2024 and the WYF 2025 Assembly participant.

In the near future, youth representatives from Nepal, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Lebanon, Peru, Armenia, Argentina and other countries will learn more about the IFY-2026.

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.

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, which took place on the Sirius Federal Territory in 2024 and united 20,000 young people from 190 countries of the world, festival events on the territory of the Russian Federation will be held annually. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will be held in 2030. In 2026, there will be a smaller event, an International Festival of Youth with 10,000 participants. In between, the World Youth Festival’s themed Assemblies will be held annually for 2,000 participants.

The first World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod from September 17 to 21, 2025 and brought together 2,000 young people from 120 countries.

The World Youth Festival Directorate continues the work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.