The World Youth Festival’s Birthday celebrations continue in all Russia’s regions. It is organized by International Friendship Clubs – World Youth Festival Directorate’s flagship project, aimed at strengthening ties among youth from Russian regions and foreign countries.
The World Youth Festival took place on March 1–7, 2024 on the “Sirius” federal territory, bringing together 20,000 young leaders from Russia and abroad. One year later, Russian and international WYF-2024 participants and representatives from the International Friendship Club of the “Sirius” federal territory gathered to celebrate the WYF’s Birthday. Seven international teams took part in the International Sailing Competition. The organizers noted that the regatta is an opportunity to make new friends and try your hand at sailing in a team.
“The World Youth Festival is a really good platform, allowing many young people to connect, meet each other. The WYF 2024 shaped international ties that help create joint projects after participants returned back to their home countries. International Friendship Clubs build on the World Youth Festival’s legacy on the local, regional level. Nevertheless, it’s a great opportunity to keep in touch and unite people internationally”, shared Maxim Vitinsh, WYF-2024 participant from Canada.
Young event participants also visited the “Sirius” music school, a concert hall, and the Nationwide Contest for Young Musicians “Sozvezdiye” (Constellation).
“All World Youth Festival participants have their own life: we study in different universities in different countries, and we can’t keep in touch every day. The International Friendship Club helps us get together more often and communicate in real life to feel the same emotion we felt during the WYF 2024. As part of the WYF’s Birthday celebration, we decided to take part in the Black Sea regatta. On this day, I met new people from “Sirius” and we truly became a team and came first”, said Mark Reinsky, WYF-2024 participant from the UK.
In the Vologda Region, participants of the International Friendship Club attended masterclasses in traditional local arts, as well as showcased their own talents during a creative kvartirnik (private home concert). The event brought together around 100 participants of the WYF-2024, the “Tavrida” forum, and foreign university students from the region. The events were organized by the Ministry of Youth Policy of the Vologda Region in collaboration with the Regional Center “Sodruzhestvo” (Unity) and the International Friendship Club of the Vologda Region.
Georgy Filimonov, Governor of the Vologda Region, awarded participants with WYF-2024 commemorative medals.
“The World Youth Festival is Russia’s soft power, one of models for cooperation with international youth and students. Such events allow young people from different countries to know the truth about Russia. We are the ones to stand at the forefront of shaping the architecture of the future. And it’s our youth who – without exaggeration – create this architecture. You are diplomats, goodwill ambassadors, providing great support to leaders of our ministries and agencies responsible for key decisions. You lay the groundwork for people’s diplomacy and are the backbone of Russia’s soft power”, said Georgy Filimonov.
Stanikzai Ahmadullah from Afghanistan, participant of the International Friendship Club of the Vologda Region, noted that such events give young people the opportunity to meet representatives of other cultures and countries and make new connections, shaping a world of unity and friendship.
Members of the International Friendship Club of the Republic of Udmurtia took part in the Global Karaoke Party “Battle of Voices”. They tested their skills in a singing competition and performed songs in Russian, Udmurt, French, Indian, Indonesian, and Tajik languages.
Participants of the International Friendship Club of the Chelyabinsk Region celebrated the WYF’s Birthday by touring the LD Pride factory. Young people from Mongolia, China, and Uzbekistan learned about the full production cycle of brass ball valves and took part in a workshop on their manufacturing. Dmitry Levin, Head of LD Group, and Yuri Boldyrev, Minister of Youth of the Chelyabinsk Region, addressed the guests. They introduced them to the factory’s history and shared business secrets.
In St. Petersburg, the IFC held a Festival of Friendship, where young people from India and Vietnam – Club’s partner countries – performed national dances and songs. The event was attended by over 120 youth representatives from Russia, Moldova, India, Vietnam, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Palestine, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, and Colombia. Together, they performed the official WYF-2024 song “We Are Together!” and tried laddu – traditional Indian dessert that became a symbol of the festival of friendship and cultural unity.
“The main goal of the event is unity and shaping a new world. Today, it is important for us to see foreign students not only as future professionals, but also as ambassadors of friendship between our nations. International Friendship Clubs help establish connections among youth worldwide and aim to create an international network of contacts that unites young leaders and like-minded individuals”, said Ben Fraj Besma from Tunisia, leader of the International Friendship Club of St. Petersburg.
The IFC of the Sakhalin Region launched a series of presentations about its activities. More than 350 schoolchildren and students learned more about the Club.
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.
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 World Youth Festival Forum, and in between, international themed assemblies for 2,000 participants will be held under the auspices of the WYF. The first Assembly is scheduled to take place in September 2025 in Nizhny Novgorod. Festival events of various formats will be held in Russia annually.
According to the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation on the preservation and development of the Festival legacy, the World Youth Festival Directorate continues the work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.