On September 19, Tokyo Olympic medalists, multiple world and European champions, and lecturers at the Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society, Sisters Averins - Dina and Arina - held a talk show with participants of the World Youth Festival at the “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society’s lecture hall. The sisters talked about their sports and media careers, their first filming experience, and the importance of personal boundaries. The event was arranged by Rosmolodezh with the support of the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region and the Directorate of the World Youth Festival on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
At the beginning of the day, Sisters Averins - Dina and Arina - led morning exercises for the participants of the World Youth Festival. The sisters shared their memories of exercising during their school years: "We started doing extra exercises at noon at school, and after classes we went to the gym. It was a real boost of energy and vigor for the whole day. Of course, the day becomes more productive when you start it with exercise. You can do it twice a week, then three times, and if it becomes a habit, then every day."
Speaking about their sports careers, the champions emphasized that the main thing is to maximize the exercises, because that is what helps shape an athlete: “During training, I try to do everything right the first time so as not to repeat mistakes. After all, the more we repeat them, the more firmly they become fixed in our minds.”
The talk show format meeting with the champions was devoted to the media presence of athletes and the issue of how to build and maintain a personal brand in big-time sports. The sisters said that they always managed their accounts themselves, which allowed them to better convey the emotions of their performances. At the same time, it is important to maintain boundaries between public and private life.
"When we were athletes, we were more closed off and tried not to post or show anything unnecessary. After the completion of their sports careers, it became easier: now we can post everything we want, but it also turned out to be more difficult, as we have to share our lives and document every our action. Of course, we are still far from being bloggers. It is always necessary to set your own boundaries. This happened back in sports, when important competitions began, such as the first European Championship and the first World Championship. After that, everyone immediately became very interested. They offered to give interviews and advertise clothing brands. But I understood that I had to remain an athlete and not be distracted by numerous videos, interviews, or the press, because they can be distracting," Sisters Averins noted.
Joining them on the talk show was Vladimir Mineev, chairman of the Student Sports Clubs Association (SSCA) of Russia, deputy of the People's Council of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), recipient of the Medal for Courage, and world and European kickboxing champion. He shared the steps he believes help achieve success in the media. "First of all, I determined public opinion in my field. Secondly, I set myself a goal for the next Russian championship and won all my fights. I made a name for myself and left myself no room for retreat in my work, training, or sports. And thirdly, you have to fight objections. Sometimes you have to show people that sports are not only about victories, but also about injuries and fractures. In doing so, we set an example for young people on how to respond to this correctly," Mineev explained.
According to him, a sports brand is also a social tool: “When you finish your career as an athlete, it is important to be able to translate this social capital into a new direction.”
The World Youth Festival is being held from September 17 to 21 in Nizhny Novgorod. It is the first in the contemporary history of the festival movement arranged upon the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society is presenting an educational program at the Assembly and is also organizing unique special formats where festival participants can learn about Russia's achievements in various fields.
The general partners of the WYF Assembly-2025 are the Russian Music Union, JSC Russian Railways, and Phygital Games. The general information partner is the international television channel RT, and the general media partner is ANO Dialog Regions. The partner for the excursion and regional programs is the More Than Trip program. The strategic partner is VK Tech. Co. The following have also joined the partnership program: “New Generation” program arranged by the Federal Agency for Affairs of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Residing Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), the Movement of the First, the presidential platform “Russia – Country of Opportunities”, Sovcombank, the Avito Tech. Co., State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society, the Film Studio Soyuzmultfilm, the Government of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Central Bank of Russia, program for young entrepreneurs “Rosmolodezh.Undertake” and the Mashuk Knowledge Center. Information support for the event is provided by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Argumenty i Fakty publishing house, the African Initiative and the Window to Russia project of ANO “TV-Novosti”.
The organizer of the World Youth Festival Assembly is the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), the co-organizer of the event is the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region and the event operator is the World Youth Festival Directorate. The Festival pursues the goals of the Youth and Children national project.
Overview:
In accordance with the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on preserving and developing the legacy of the World Youth Festival, which took place on the Sirius Federal Territory in 2024 and united 20,000 young people from 190 countries of the world, festival events on the territory of the Russian Federation will be held annually. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will be held in 2030. In 2026, there will be a smaller event, an International Youth Festival with 10,000 participants. In between, the World Youth Festival’s themed Assemblies will be held annually for 2,000 participants. The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.