On June 23, the Chamber of Young Lawmakers convened at the Federation Council of the Russian Federation under the chairmanship of Valentina Matvienko. The meeting was attended by Grigory Gurov, Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), and Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate. Discussions focused on youth policy legislation, the development of joint initiatives with young parliamentarians, and preparations for the International Festival of Youth 2026.
“In 2026, Russia will host an important event – the International Festival of Youth. It is essential that every young legislator takes an active role and ensures a dignified reception for our foreign guests. I would also like to thank the World Youth Festival Directorate for supporting the ‘Memory Train’ project. This is a unique initiative: 200 high school students, not only from former Soviet republics but also from countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, are participating this year. The joint trip spans 13 cities in Russia and Belarus over two weeks, offering significant educational value and a lasting cumulative impact,” said Valentina Matvienko, Speaker of the Federation Council.
Grigory Gurov, Head of Rosmolodezh, presented the outcomes of Rosmolodezh’s legislative work carried out in cooperation with members of the Chamber of Young Lawmakers and outlined priorities for further collaboration. He emphasized that young parliamentarians serve as a link between youth and both legislative and executive authorities. Within the framework of the Russian nationwide “GosStart” program, Chamber members engage with peers in the regions, sharing professional experience and insights into public service in regional and executive bodies.
"Chamber members organize educational events at youth centers established under the presidential ‘Region for Young People’ program, participate in the All-Russian Week of Cleanup Days ‘We are for Cleanliness,’ and mentor young people from the ‘Movement of the First.’ In addition, young parliamentarians have for several years co-organized thematic sessions at the ‘Territory of Meanings’ forum, and this year they are developing a program for a dedicated ‘Truth’ session that will bring together 500 young politicians from across the country. It is important that young parliamentarians are involved in youth policy implementation at both federal and regional levels," said Grigory Gurov.
He also proposed assigning each Chamber committee a specialized partner from among competence centers and youth organizations, suggesting the World Youth Festival Directorate as a partner for the Committee on International Affairs. Plans are also in place to strengthen regional engagement by developing legislative initiatives with young people. Young parliamentarians are encouraged to hold at least one meeting and one roundtable per quarter in the regions to advance this work.
Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate, outlined joint efforts with the Federation Council to engage young people in patriotic initiatives, including the cultural and educational “Memory Train” project and the patriotic expedition “Code of the Unconquered – 2026.” This year, the “Memory Train” includes more than 50 foreign participants from 11 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Moldova, selected by the Directorate. The “Code of the Unconquered – 2026” expedition, which concluded in May, brought together over 100 activists and followed a route through nine cities of military glory and hero cities.
Particular attention was given to the integration of the Chamber of Young Lawmakers into preparations for the International Festival of Youth 2026.
“We have agreed that representatives of the Chamber of Young Lawmakers will serve as experts in the educational program for foreign parliamentarians. In addition, representatives of the Chamber are actively involved in selecting Russian participants for the festival as members of regional selection commissions and will join regional delegations traveling to Еkaterinburg for the event in September,” said Dmitry Ivanov.
He added that preparations are underway for a Cultural Partnership program, under which young people from Russian regions will assist foreign delegations in gaining a deeper understanding of the country.
Overview:
The World Youth Festival took place in Sirius on March 1-7, 2024, 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 line with the Russian President’s instructions to preserve and further develop the legacy of the World Youth Festival, festival events are now held annually across the Russian Federation. In 2025, the World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod, bringing together 2,000 young people from 120 countries. In 2026, the International Festival of Youth will welcome 10,000 participants. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will take place in 2030.
The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work to strengthen international youth cooperation and develop a global community of young people committed to shaping a better future.