Daniil Bisslinger, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate, arrived in Johannesburg on a working visit. On September 16–17, as part of the business trip, he met with representatives of youth organizations of South Africa.
Daniil Bisslinger held talks with Emily Steve Mmapaseka, Deputy Minister of Women and Youth and leaders of South African youth organizations, including Asanda Luwaca, Executive Chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency, and Tando Taylor, Head of the National Committee of the World Youth Festival Directorate in South Africa. The participants proposed establishing a long-term system for supporting talented students and strengthening the practice of educational exchanges.
“South Africa is a key partner in our BRICS collaboration. During this visit, which aimed to build on the outcomes of the BRICS Youth Summit in Ulyanovsk, we exchanged views on engaging young African leaders in the programmes and activities of the World Youth Festival Directorate. Our South African partners place particular emphasis on creating job opportunities and enhancing youth skills, supporting young civil servants and entrepreneurs, grant systems, and women’s leadership programmes. Russia has extensive experience in all these areas, and we are ready to share our tools for implementing youth policies and strengthen our cooperation by opening up new opportunities for talented young Africans”, said Daniil Bisslinger.
The meeting participants recognized the World Youth Festival's role in strengthening international youth cooperation and expressed support for advancing projects as part of the festival legacy. Deputy Minister of Women and Youth also proposed hosting a regional WYF in South Africa.
During his visit, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate also met with Ian McCoy, Head of the Mentorship Programme at the University of Johannesburg. They discussed approaches in cybersecurity and education, opportunities for student exchange programmes between leading universities of Russia and South Africa, and proposed creating international youth tracks for advancing science, mentorship, and entrepreneurship.
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 the future, the World Youth Festival will become a platform for the development of a permanent international youth movement aimed at creating a just multipolar world. On the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, the WYF will be held in Russia on a regular basis – once in six years. Also, every six years 10,000 young people from all over the world will get together at the International Youth Festival, and international themed gatherings and events will be held under the auspices of the WYF.
The World Youth Festival is organized by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh). The WYF-2024 was operated by the World Youth Festival Directorate.
