On April 13–15, Jakarta hosted the international cultural and educational project the “Word about the Russian Heart” – a major event marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Indonesia. 

Forum speakers included Fauzan Al-Rasyid, an international partner of the World Youth Festival Directorate and producer at RT International. He participated in an interactive session on the Russian language and public initiatives abroad, focusing on the role of language and media in international communication. 

Fauzan Al-Rasyid spoke about culture as a soft power tool in the 21st century. He noted that international events serve as platforms for showcasing cultural identity and encouraging young people to become active cultural figures. One such event was the World Youth Festival, held in March 2024 on the “Sirius” federal territory, which brought together 20,000 young leaders, including 150 delegates from Indonesia, eager to collaborate on joint projects in business, media, arts, education, science, sports, and more.

“In today’s rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, public initiatives and media have become powerful tools for promoting culture and national identity – not as propaganda, but as soft power diplomacy. While sanctions seek to isolate, culture opens doors among nations. Through festivals, creative platforms, and cross-cultural storytelling, countries like Russia can showcase their values on their own terms. This challenges dominant narratives, often shaped by Western media, and offers the world a more nuanced, multipolar perspective. Culture doesn’t just preserve identity, it restores an objective global information agenda”, said **Fauzan Al-Rasyid. **

Session participants also discussed preserving linguistic identity in the digital age, strategies for promoting the Russian language abroad, and the impact of modern media practices on the international information landscape.

The project was organized by Rossotrudnichestvo and the Center for Creative Industries “New City”.

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.