The World Youth Festival Directorate representatives introduce foreign youth to the largest international event of 2026 — the International Festival of Youth, implemented under the national project "Youth and Children".
Representatives of 55 countries have already learned about the International Festival of Youth. Presentations were held all over the world – in Morocco, Tanzania, Vietnam, Chile, Honduras, Egypt, Senegal, Armenia, France, Tajikistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Benin, South Africa, Argentina, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, India, Oman and many other countries.
The presentations are actively attended by foreign partners and representatives of the WYFD's international project offices, partner organizations that carry out their activities in the youth, social, humanitarian, and socio–political fields with the support of the World Youth Festival Directorate.
"For the youth of Indonesia, the International Festival of Youth is one of the world's largest venues where thousands of young people can meet, exchange ideas and think about the future together. My personal experience of participating in the World Economic Forum 2024 and the World Economic Forum 2025 has shown me that cultural diversity does not divide, but rather unites. We realized that every culture is beautiful, we talked, exchanged ideas and were united by one desire – to build a more just and respectful world. The youth of Indonesia is ready not only to participate in the IFY–2026, but to make a real contribution, bringing energy, diversity and a spirit of cooperation," said Fawzan Al–Rashid, a foreign partner of the World Youth Festival Directorate.
He also noted that the youth of Indonesia expressed great interest in the Festival and many active and talented young people want to participate in this event. According to him, this clearly demonstrates that the desire to cooperate and contribute to the development of international platforms is becoming stronger among young leaders from Indonesia.
The International Festival of Youth will be held from September 11 to 17, 2026 in Ekaterinburg. Its participants will include 10,000 young leaders from 190 countries representing the fields of media, civic engagement, sports, science and education, entrepreneurship, digitalization and IT, public administration, creative industries and creativity. Traditionally, they will include teenagers from 14 to 17 years old: 500 from Russia and 500 from foreign countries.
"I want to participate in the International Festival of Youth in Russia because it is an opportunity for me to collaborate, contribute to the development of my country and continue to grow as a leader," said Arnoldo Armenta, a candidate from Mexico.
The Festival will be held under the motto "Follow your dream. Together with Russia" will become not only a space for open international dialogue and unity of peoples, but also a showcase of the best Russian projects and practices. It will show foreign young leaders the real Russia, a land of limitless opportunities where everyone can find their vocation and turn their dreams into reality.
"The International Festival of Youth is a unique opportunity to learn from the experience of countries with developed systems and significant international influence, in particular, from Russia. Such platforms allow you to get acquainted with successful practices, understand different development paths and see real examples of progress and innovation. Communication with representatives of different cultures helps to consider your own views, establish meaningful connections and better understand the structure of the world," said Marlichson Ramazan Torres from Costa Rica, who has already applied for participation in the Festival.
Applications for the International Festival of Youth are open until April 30 via link at the website: wyffest.com.
Overview:
The World Youth Festival took place on March 1–7, 2024 at “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.
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, festival events on the territory of the Russian Federation will be held annually. The World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod in 2025 and brought together 2,000 young people from 120 countries. In 2026, the International Festival of Youth will be gather 10,000 participants. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will be held in 2030.
The World Youth Festival Directorate continues the work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation and developing a community of young people who care about the future of the world.