The Sverdlovsk Region, which will host the main international youth event of the globe in 2026, has confirmed its status as one of the most active regions in the country. Today, the Ural region ranks second in Russia in terms of the number of applications for participation in the International Festival of Youth, second only to the traditional leader of the rating – Moscow.

“The youth of the Sverdlovsk Region demonstrates the highest interest in the International Festival of Youth: about 1,600 young people have already applied for participation. More than 2,000 people expressed their desire to help organize and hold the Festival by joining the IFY-2026 volunteer corps. Moreover, candidates from the Sverdlovsk Region demonstrate a serious level of training. The most popular areas among young citizens of the Urals are creative industries, public administration, science and education. The Festival is a unique platform for self-development, finding partners and friends, as well as an opportunity to introduce the Urals as a territory of strong and talented people on the world stage”, – said Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate.

St. Petersburg closes the top three after the capital and the Sverdlovsk region. The top ten also includes Krasnodar Territory, Moscow Region, Perm Territory, Donetsk People's Republic, Tatarstan, Nizhny Novgorod and Penza regions.

The application campaign for participation in the International Festival of Youth continues. The large-scale international youth event will be held in Ekaterinburg from September 11 to 17, 2026 and will bring together 10,000 young people from 190 countries: 5,000 from Russia and 5,000 from foreign countries.

Applications for the International Festival of Youth are open until April 30 on the website.

Young people aged 14 to 35 years old representing various fields can participate in the Festival: creative industries and creativity, public administration, science and education, sports, entrepreneurship, media, digitalization and IT, civic engagement.

The Festival will be held under the motto: “Follow your dream. Together with Russia” and will become not only a space for an open international dialogue and unity of peoples but a showcase of best Russian projects and practices. It will introduce to young participants the real Russia – the country of unlimited opportunities, where everyone can find its vocation and turn their dream into reality.

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 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.