The Third International Student Media Assembly has started its work in “Ethnomir”, the largest ethnographic park-museum in Russia. The event is attended by 100 international students and experts in the field of international relations and media.
The solemn opening ceremony was attended by Vakhtang Khikalandze, Deputy Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate; Pavel Shevtsov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo; Vladimir Beklamyishev, Deputy Director of the Information Policy and Comprehensive Security Department of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia; Yulia Shuvalova, Head of the Project Office for the Promotion of the Far East and the Arctic at ANO “National Priorities”; Anna Gureyeva, First Vice-Rector of the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute; Larisa Efremova, Director of the Center for Initiative Projects and Intersectoral Partnership at RUDN; and Natalia Belyaeva, Head of the “Adventures of Foreigners in Russia” project.
During the panel discussion, speakers presented projects and opportunities available to international students in Russia. Vakhtang Khikalandze spoke about the activities of the World Youth Festival Directorate. He detailed the work of International Friendship Clubs and introduced the audience to the International Opportunities Platform — the official website of the World Youth Festival, where relevant forum and educational events for international youth are regularly published. He also invited young media professionals to participate in the World Youth Festival Assembly which will be held in Nizhny Novgorod from September 17 to 21, 2025. This large-scale event will bring together 2,000 participants from over 120 countries, creating a unique space for professional dialogue and international cooperation.
“One of the professional communities where we develop international dialogue is media. Today, amid growing information noise, waves of misinformation, and the spread of unscrupulous journalistic practices, it is more important than ever to unite young journalists and bloggers around the principles of professional ethics: objectivity, fact-checking, and responsibility to the audience. At the same time, the media sphere is rapidly transforming, making professional dialogue platforms especially valuable — where one can exchange experiences, discuss the challenges of the digital age, and jointly shape an ethical and reliable media space. Russia has significant experience in this field, and we are open to sharing it with foreign colleagues,” said Vakhtang Khikalandze, Deputy General Director of the World Youth Festival Directorate.
The Assembly has united representatives from 36 countries, 26 cities of the Russian Federation, and 50 universities — all students studying in Russia and receiving higher education here. Most of them actively participate in student media development or maintain blogs on studying in Russia. The international assembly has provided them with a unique opportunity to gain knowledge in media production, receive advice from professionals, and propose project ideas. Over five days, students will undergo an educational program and apply their knowledge in practice by creating content. They will attend lectures by both Russian and foreign experts.
Following the training sessions, media professionals will create videos about Russian culture and values in teams and compete in individual categories across five nominations: photo, video, text, design, or multimedia project. The winning team and individual category winners will go on a press tour to Teriberka, a village in the Murmansk Region on the Barents Sea coast.
The Third International Student Media Assembly is organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. This is the third time the event has been held. Previous gatherings were hosted in Serpukhov and Volgograd, attracting 200 international students from across the country. Many of them have gone on to become professional journalists, bloggers, and work in the field of international relations after the forum.
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.
