Sergei Kiriyenko summed up the results of the World Youth Festival

On March 7, at the World Youth Festival, the World Youth Festival Closing Press Conference was held by Sergei Kiriyenko, the Chairman of the World Youth Festival Organizing Committee and First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, and Ksenia Razuvaeva, Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh).

Sergei Kiriyenko noted that almost all countries of the world were represented at the Festival - Sirius received 190 youth delegations.

“We have 188 countries, not counting Russia. It’s still fair to count yourself, so it will be 189. And the third feature, why, to be honest, 190: of course, there was a rather significant delegation representing citizens of Ukraine. But for obvious reasons, we cannot call them an official delegation, we cannot show them, we understand that the guys will face criminal prosecution after this,” said Sergei Kiriyenko.

“Yesterday, the evening meeting of the President of the Russian Federation with 250 festival participants from all over the world lasted for more than two hours. And the main feeling from this meeting is that Vladimir Vladimirovich spoke with the participants without attempting to simplify, without an excessive moralizing tone, as equals with equals. And the participants felt it. It was a special atmosphere,” Sergei Kiriyenko emphasized at a meeting with journalists.

In addition, according to him, the participants of the World Youth Festival understood that Russia is fighting for the right of every people to their own sovereignty, to their own choice.

“In my opinion, very important things were said yesterday at the President’s meeting... When one of the representatives of student associations of the African continent stood up and said: you know, now we understand that you are fighting today not only for your sovereignty, you are fighting for us... They understood what was happening, why it was happening, they understood that Russia is fighting not only for itself, but in general is fighting for the right of every people to their own sovereignty, to their own choice and for the right of the people of Donbass to their own choice. And for the right of every person in the world,” said Sergei Kiriyenko.

According to him, the participants gained an understanding of what Russia is fighting for - the country is fighting for sovereignty.

He also noted that there was complete freedom in the Festival space, everyone could choose where they wanted to go and what to talk about, not a single discussion imposed anything on anyone.

“I am sure that each of them (participants – ed.) formed their own impression, talking with peers, entering into discussions. This is the most valuable thing. No matter what we tell them about ourselves, this is still what is called our commercial break. But the fact that they themselves formed their own impression about Russia, no one can change it. They formulate this as a personal impression, reinforced by friends and acquaintances with whom they became friends here,” added Sergei Kiriyenko.

According to him, the main difference between this year’s Festival and the 2017 Forum was the content of the events. The level of the participants themselves was also high: a total of 320,000 applications were submitted, from which delegations were formed as a result of a difficult selection in six stages.  

“We have significantly increased educational and meaningful programs. Every day of the Festival was filled with thematic meaning. The Big Marathon was held by the Knowledge Society, the total number of events was more than 850. We calculated that if a person wanted to listen to all the lectures, it would take 78 days,” said Sergei Kiriyenko.

He emphasized that the Festival participants were dissatisfied with one thing, the inability to attend all the WYF 2024 events.

Sergei Kiriyenko also noted that one of the main principles in preparing the Festival program was to provide complete freedom to the participants.

“The important thing: when we drew up the programs, we approached these issues very carefully, so that no one could say that we were imposing something on anyone,” he emphasized.

Sergei Kiriyenko noted that the youth and guests of the Festival were in the mood for a serious conversation. Meanwhile, the forum program included many entertainment events, but the participants primarily sought educational and meaningful events. 

The Chairman of the World Youth Festival Organizing Committee also cited data from the first sociological surveys on attitudes towards the World Youth Festival among Russians, conducted by Russian Public Opinion Research Center. 84% of Russians have a positive attitude towards the Festival, 2% are rather negative or definitely negative. The main emotions that people experience in connection with the forum are pride, respect, hope and confidence in the future.

5,000 volunteers worked at the festival sites, and, according to guests, all of them were touched by the hospitality provided.

“I was glad that the love with which the volunteers greeted the guests was returned to them. I visited a volunteer village where three stages were built - and foreign delegations performed musical programs there in the evenings for the volunteers. They themselves asked to be given the opportunity to thank people. The disco of the Colombian delegation with our volunteers of the silver age - believe me, it’s worth a lot because of human emotions,” shared Sergei Kiriyenko.

For the first time, 300 guides from all over the country worked at the site, who also passed the highest competition to participate in the Festival. 

For the first time, participants under 18 years old came to the WYF - the children's program gathered 1000 delegates (500 from Russia and 500 foreign). 

For the first time at WYF, all 89 Russian regions took patronage of foreign delegations. And now, after the closing of the Festival, more than two thousand participants are leaving for the regions as guests. 

According to Ksenia Razuvaeva, head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, WYF trained more than 19,000 employees. 

“The festival was organized by the young people themselves. The average age of our directorate employee is 29 years. This is our practice of co-authorship in the field of youth policy - everything is done by young people themselves,” noted Ksenia Razuvaeva. As for the children's program, it was also invented by 80 children from 24 countries - the forum's children's directorate was created specifically for this purpose. 

“The goal of the festival goes beyond its scope; it is the formation of long-term connections,” the head of Rosmolodezh emphasized. Cultural supervision of the regions will continue to develop. For example, 15 delegates will soon go on Rosatom’s Arctic expedition. 

According to Ksenia Razuvaeva, many international projects were launched at the Festival in various fields: diplomatic, entrepreneurial, environmental, and so on. 

“At the suggestion of the participants, we decided that on April 12, when our youth forums traditionally start in Russia, we will launch an international track at each of them, because all the Festival participants leaving these days fell in love with Russia. And so that they have the opportunity to return and return. And continue projects together with our guys. Our 43 all-Russian, international, educational forums will be open to foreigners from this year,” emphasized Ksenia Razuvaeva.

She also separately noted the regions of Russia

 “The guys were not just participants, but full-fledged organizers and hosts. They carried this flag with great dignity. Therefore, our Russian participants, and the heads of the constituent entities, and all the regional teams that were involved in the preparation of the festival - we thank them very much,” added Ksenia Razuvaeva.

Summing up the results of the World Youth Festival, Sergei Kiriyenko said that the main thing is the personal impressions with which the participants return to their countries. 

“We wanted the bright, talented youth of the world to develop their own understanding of Russia. You yourself chose where to go and what to talk about. No matter what we say here, their personal impressions are something that no one can turn away from,” he emphasized.

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The World Youth Festival is taking place at the Sirius Federal Territory from March 1 to 7, 2024, as per the decree issued by Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at fostering international youth cooperation.

The Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) is the organizer of the World Youth Festival, with the of the World Youth Festival Directorate serving as the operator for the WYF 2024.