On February 12, as part of the First Conference of the International Association of Young Diplomats, MGIMO hosted a thematic session on the opportunities of international youth cooperation. One of the key topics of the meeting was the presentation of the International Festival of Youth 2026, the largest international youth event of this year.

The event was attended by young employees of foreign policy departments, representatives of international organizations and federal executive authorities.

The young diplomats learned about the International Festival of Youth, which will be held from September 11 to 17 in Ekaterinburg and will bring together 10,000 participants from 190 countries of the world.

"Today, it is you, young diplomats, who are shaping the language of the future of international relations. In a world where it is too easy to erect new barriers, it is especially important to be able to hear, respect and seek a balance of interests. The International Festival of Youth will become a platform for international dialogue and unity of peoples, where 5,000 young people from Russia and 5,000 representatives of foreign countries learn together to build a just multipolar world based on cooperation. In the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, we are creating a space where communication boundaries are erased, trust is strengthened and the simple truth is confirmed: the future of world diplomacy begins with an open conversation and joint actions of young people," Artem Fomin, First Deputy Director General for International Cooperation of the World Youth Festival Directorate, addressed the young diplomats.

He noted that the Festival will become a platform for building sustainable international relations between young leaders representing the fields of public administration, science and education, media, entrepreneurship, digitalization and IT, sports, creative industries and creativity, and civic engagement.

The business program of the conference also included a presentation of MGIMO's leading educational projects and an introductory session of the Secretariat of the International Association of Young Diplomats. The speakers were representatives of Russian and foreign foreign policy structures and educational organizations.

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.

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 Festival of Youth with 10,000 participants. In between, the World Youth Festival’s themed Assemblies will be held annually for 2,000 participants.

The first World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod from September 17 to 21, 2025 and brought together 2,000 young people from 120 countries.

The World Youth Festival Directorate continues the work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.