The excursion program of the International Festival of Youth will span six formats – from an express introduction to the region on the way from the airport to walking tours, bus routes, and industrial excursions to enterprises in the Urals. Held as part of the Youth and Children national project, the Festival will take place in Ekaterinburg from September 11 to 17 and bring together 10,000 participants from 190 countries.

"Participants of the International Festival of Youth will be accompanied by guides from the More Than a Journey program – conveyors of meaning who will immerse Russia's guests in the historical and cultural context, tell them about the traditions and customs of the peoples of Russia, travel with participants to the industrial enterprises of the Middle Urals, and visit the key landmarks and the natural and cultural sites of Ekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk Region," noted Grigory Gurov, Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh).

Getting to know the city will begin on the way from the airport and the railway station: transfer excursions with English-language audio guides have been prepared for participants. At the Festival venue, the Ekaterinburg-EXPO International Exhibition Center, walking tours of the City of the World's Youth will be held. Walks are also planned through the residential cluster of Ural Federal University, where participants will stay for the week.

Sightseeing bus routes will run through Ekaterinburg. Participants will see the historic center and the traces of the mining-and-metallurgical civilization, and will learn why this city on the border of Europe and Asia has brought together different eras and cultures. The program includes visits to the Historical Square, the Literary Quarter, the Yeltsin Center, and the Ekaterinburg-City district.

"In September, the Middle Urals will welcome enterprising and talented young people from all over the world. It is difficult to show all the richness of our region in just a few Festival days, but our guests will certainly feel the unique spirit of the Urals and immerse themselves in its history, culture, and creativity. They will get to know this stronghold of the nation and its people, who are used to acting, working, and striving for the heights – in their profession, in sport, in study, in any endeavor. And I am confident that the International Festival of Youth will become not only a platform for communication, new acquaintances, and joint plans, but also yet another peak conquered by thousands of young people from around the world here in the Middle Urals," said Denis Pasler, Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region.

In the Sverdlovsk Region, participants will visit the museum complex of the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC) in Verkhnyaya Pyshma – Russia's largest collection of military and automotive machinery – and the historic center of Sysert, the birthplace of writer Pavel Bazhov, where they will learn about the city's founding history. Guests will climb Bessonova Mount and tour the Turchaninov-Solomirskys cast-iron smelting and ironworks – a federally protected cultural heritage site, home to the At the Factory creative cluster.

Festival guests will also embark on industrial excursions tailored to their fields: public administration, media, science, entrepreneurship, IT, sport, civic engagement, and the creative industries. Participants will learn how each sector operates on a national scale, while enterprise specialists will show them the work process from the inside.

"We strive for every participant to leave the Urals not just with a souvenir, but with a living understanding of the country. The excursions are built as a dialogue: we do not show a display window, we open the doors of factories, studios, and laboratories. It is a chance to see Russia not in a picture, but in action – through its people, technology, and history," emphasized Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate.

Young media specialists will visit the Fourth Channel television company, where they will be shown the workings of the studios, the editing suite, and the radio stations. Guests will be able to try their hand at hosting – reading a script from the teleprompter in front of a professional camera.

Entrepreneurs will head to the Ural Plant of Chemical Machine-Building (Uralhimmash), where they will see the production of equipment for the oil and gas industry: the shell rolling and the testing center, which employs more than 160 methods of metal inspection. Guests will be able to test metal for strength themselves. The route will conclude with a tour of the grounds and its art objects, among them the "pepelats" from the Kin-dza-dza! film.

Participants in the Creative Industries track will visit the Bakery No. 6 creative cluster, set in an industrial building abandoned since 2010. Interactive activities have been prepared for guests at the Youth Bureau "5th Floor" cultural and educational center, along with works by contemporary artists; participants will learn how digital art exhibitions are created and will make a souvenir with their own hands.

Young scientists and education professionals will visit UrFU's Engineering Center for Digital Technologies in Mechanical Engineering. They will be shown the full production cycle – from the design concept to the finished product – including metal and polymer 3D printing and the operation of the casting and mechanical-assembly areas. At the testing center, guests will see how products undergo strength testing.

Digitalization and IT specialists will visit Sber TechHub – Russia's first specialized IT office for the bank. It employs more than 1,700 developers, engineers, and analysts. Guests will learn how the hub operates and how artificial intelligence is applied in banking, healthcare, and culture.

Participants in the Public Administration track will get acquainted with the work of the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk Region, while Festival guests in the Sport and Health track will visit the new UMMC ice arena – the second-largest indoor arena by capacity in Russia.

The program is designed for diverse audiences. For underage participants, a Children to Children format will be offered: excursions will be led by young assistant guides together with their mentors. Adapted routes have been developed for guests with disabilities. Foreign journalists and bloggers will also take part in the excursions, telling their audiences about the nature, culture, and industry of the Urals.

The International Festival of Youth is held as part of the Youth and Children national project. The organizer of the IFY – 2026 excursion program is the World Youth Festival Directorate, with the support of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Industry of the Sverdlovsk Region and Rosmolodezh.Profi. The excursion operator is Rosmolodezh's More Than a Journey program.

Overview:

The World Youth Festival took place in Sirius on March 1-7, 2024, 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 line with the Russian President’s instructions to preserve and further develop the legacy of the World Youth Festival, festival events are now held annually across the Russian Federation. In 2025, the World Youth Festival Assembly was held in Nizhny Novgorod, bringing together 2,000 young people from 120 countries. In 2026, the International Festival of Youth will welcome 10,000 participants. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will take place in 2030.

The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work to strengthen international youth cooperation and develop a global community of young people committed to shaping a better future.