On September 20, as part of the World Youth Festival Assembly, a meeting with Stas Yarushin, an artist, producer, author, and host of the Muzloft show, was held at the lecture hall of the Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society. In an open dialogue format, the lecturer from the Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society talked about how personal branding and social media became part of his success and shared stories about his work on stage, on camera, and online.
The meeting brought together more than 400 participants interested in music, media, and cultural trends. Talking about the launch of Muzloft, Yarushin noted the value of courage and improvisation: “We started without a script. We set up a table, invited musicians, and began to improvise. It was scary to bring something personal out into the world. Now the program is being copied, which is great, but you can't copy the mentality of the show: it's inside, it's a philosophy.”
According to the speaker, social media cannot replace professionalism, but it helps artists find their audience: “Social media is great, but it's just a supplement to professionalism. Don't be intimidated by small venues and small audiences. The accumulation effect works: today it's 10 people, tomorrow it's a full club. The main thing is not to be afraid to make mistakes.”
The meeting participants also discussed changes in the music industry in the era of digital platforms. Stas Yarushin talked about how to stay relevant for decades and why an artist's true value lies in their ability to be themselves.
“Being yourself is the only strategy. Believe above knowledge: knowledge is power, but what drives me is faith in what I do. Take care of your body and do sports — the body produces creative hormones. And be a little naive in a good way: bold actions → mistakes → conclusions → experience. I respect you for your time: you came to share your experiences, and time is the most valuable thing,” said the artist, concluding the meeting.
The lecture hall of the Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society at the WYF Assembly became a key platform for open dialogue with young participants from Russia and around the world. Discussions, master classes, and meetings with leaders in culture, media, sports, science, and entrepreneurship are held here, revealing the festival's mission to unite the youth of the globe in a spirit of friendship and cooperation.
The World Youth Festival is being held from September 17 to 21 in Nizhny Novgorod. It is the first festival in contemporary history arranged on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society is presenting an educational program at the Assembly and is also organizing unique special formats where festival participants can learn about Russia's achievements in various fields.
The general partners of the WYF Assembly 2025 are the Russian Music Union, JSC Russian Railways, and Phygital Games. The general information partner is the international television channel RT, and the general media partner is ANO “Dialog Regions”. The partner for the excursion and regional programs is the “More than Trip” program. The strategic partner is VK Tech. Co. The following participants have also joined the partnership program: the “New Generation” program arranged by the Federal Agency for Affairs of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Residing Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), Movement of the First, the presidential platform “Russia — Country of Opportunities”, Sovcombank, the Avito Tech. Co., State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, the Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society, the Film Studio Soyuzmultfilm, the Government of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Central Bank of Russia, the program for young entrepreneurs “Rosmolodezh.Undertake” and the Knowledge Center “Mashuk”. Information support for the event is provided by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Argumenty i Fakty publishing house, the African Initiative and the Window to Russia project of ANO “TV-Novosti”.
The organizer of the World Youth Festival Assembly is the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), the co-organizer of the event is the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region and the event operator is the World Youth Festival Directorate. The Festival pursues the goals of the Youth and Children national project.
Overview:
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 Youth Festival with 10,000 participants. In between, the World Youth Festival’s themed Assemblies will be held annually for 2,000 participants. The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.
