The World Youth Festival Directorate has announced the completion of participant selection for the International Festival of Youth, which will take place from September 11 to 17, 2026, in Ekaterinburg.

As many as 10,000 young people from 191 countries have received their long-awaited invitations to a unique platform for open international dialogue, where they will be able to connect with peers from around the world, exchange experience, and work through global challenges together, helping to shape a shared vision of the future – a multipolar world built on cooperation and the balancing of mutual interests.

Selecting participants was no easy task, as the Directorate received more than 113,000 applications. For the first time in the history of the festival movement, the number of applications from international participants exceeded the number from Russians by 32,000. The final roster includes 5,000 representatives from Russia and 5,000 international participants. Among them are 1,000 children aged 14 to 17, including 500 from Russia and 500 from other countries.

"As is traditional, youth from post-Soviet countries will be well represented at the Festival – more than 1,000 delegates. Argentina, Brazil, India, China, Mexico and Saudi Arabia are also among the countries with the largest delegations – nations from entirely different macro-regions of the world. Representatives from Western countries will attend as well – France, the United Kingdom and Italy alone will send more than 100 delegates. This geographic diversity, along with the high level of competition for spots, shows the scale of interest in the Festival and confirms that a genuinely strong international youth community will gather in Ekaterinburg this September," said Dmitry Ivanov, General Director of the World Youth Festival Directorate.

A new feature of the IFY – 2026 is a sector-based approach to inviting international delegations. Participants represent eight key fields – from creative industries, science and sport to public administration, media and IT. They are young scientists, entrepreneurs, athletes, cultural figures, and content creators who have already achieved results in their respective fields. For instance, IFY – 2026 participant Ivaylo Danailov from Bulgaria became a mayor at the age of 26 and is actively involved in local community development projects.

"Becoming mayor at 26 was a challenge, but the real difficulties started afterward: how do you run a city when you have little experience, yet an entire community depends on you? I came to the Festival to learn from colleagues from other countries. I am curious how young politicians in Asia or the Middle East approach local governance, how they attract investment and engage young people. I want not only to share my own experience of reforms in Bulgaria, but also to find ideas for new projects. I believe that through personal contact with leaders from around the world, you can find unconventional solutions for your own cities," said IFY – 2026 participant Ivaylo Danailov from Bulgaria.

IFY – 2026 participant Christian Bahati from the Republic of the Congo is CEO of a major mining company. In 2019, he founded a charitable foundation that helps people in need in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"For me, the International Festival of Youth is more than an international gathering; it is a meeting point for ideas, ambition, and responsibility. I am here not only to represent my country, but to listen, learn, and build bridges with a generation that sees borders as opportunities for cooperation. I hope to connect with young entrepreneurs, exchange experiences, and create partnerships that turn ideas into meaningful projects. Africa has enormous potential in areas such as mining, logistics, and entrepreneurship, and I believe international cooperation can transform this potential into opportunities that benefit our communities. I hope to leave the Festival with new friendships, new perspectives, and partnerships that can create lasting impact," noted IFY – 2026 participant Christian Bahati from the Republic of the Congo.

Festival participant Fotima Boghshokhi from Uzbekistan is working on developing an AI assistant for rural doctors. For her, the Festival is a chance to present her project and get advice on how to scale it, so that quality healthcare can reach every remote village.

"Right now, I am working on an AI assistant project for healthcare in Uzbekistan. The project is still in development, and my main goal is to refine it further and eventually put it into practice. At IFY – 2026, I hope to meet people from different countries who share my interest in digital healthcare, so we can discuss ideas together, gain new experience, and find ways to develop my project further," said IFY – 2026 participant Fotima Boghshokhi.

Another Festival participant is Amit Kothawade from India. During the pandemic, he developed an app for tracking contact with people infected with COVID-19. Amit now works at a government agency, where under his leadership the startup ecosystem has grown to 35,000 projects.

Among the participants of the upcoming Festival are also content creators – people who help shape the conversation on social media in their home countries. One of them is Diego Rodriguez from Spain.

"This is not my first time in Russia, and every time I fall in love with it all over again. It is a great honor and a real joy to be invited to the International Festival of Youth and to become part of a community that is building a future without barriers. I want to show my audience the Russia that I know myself – not through stereotypes, but through people's eyes, their smiles, their cities – a hospitable, open, and modern country," noted content creator Diego Rodriguez.

Receiving the invitation to the Festival was a vivid, unforgettable moment for many participants. Young people from around the world shared their emotions on social media. One of the most notable moments was a video from Indonesian influencer Angelicha Cherylene, which garnered more than three million views. The young woman could not hold back tears of joy upon learning she would be traveling to Russia. Angelicha's heartfelt reaction inspired participants worldwide: hundreds of them began recording their own reactions and expectations ahead of the upcoming International Festival of Youth.

The event's program has been designed to encourage participants to connect, engage in cross-cultural communication, collaborate, and launch joint initiatives. It includes not only panel discussions on issues that matter to young people, but also a wide range of team-building activities: sports, cultural and volunteer events, as well as guided tours.

The Festival's main venue will be the Ekaterinburg-EXPO International Exhibition Center, and throughout the event, participants and volunteers will be staying on the campus of Ural Federal University.

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.