The delegation of more than 30 representatives from the Gulf countries is visiting Russia to exchange best practices in the field of youth policy and build future cooperation.

From August 21 to 30, the Russian Federation is hosting a delegation of young leaders from five countries: Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The visit was organized as part of the Global Leaders Exchange Program at the initiative of the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

The Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) organized the delegation's stay in Moscow together with the World Youth Festival Directorate. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen bilateral youth ties, share experience and demonstrate the diverse opportunities for self-realization that Russia offers to a generation of young leaders.

A rich program in the capital allowed the guests to get acquainted with the detailed architecture of Russian youth policy. At the meeting with Rosmolodezh, key projects were presented to the participants: the "Movement of the First", the "More Than a Trip" program, the "Russia – Country of Opportunities" platform, the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps, and others. An important place in the program was occupied by expert sessions with representatives of the "Dobro.Rf" Association, who spoke about the development of the volunteer movement, and members of the Chamber of Young Legislators at the Federation Council, who shared their experience of youth participation in the legislative process.

The delegation also visited Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO), where they discussed issues of international relations and personnel training, got acquainted with the activities of the World Youth Festival Directorate and the opportunities available to foreigners in Russia.

The young leaders were particularly interested in a visit to the Russian news agency "Sputnik", which broadcasts around the world, where they discussed the challenges of modern journalism and the role of media in building a dialogue between cultures. The cultural part of the program included a sightseeing tour of the capital, a visit to the "Moscow 2030" pavilion and the National Center "Russia"with its interactive exhibition "Journey across Russia".

"Visiting Russia was my childhood dream! I understood perfectly well how great Russia is, how great it is historically. It is the youth who are deprived of power these days. Most people in our countries are young, so we are among those who are called upon to change the world, we strive to share knowledge, develop partnerships, and develop policies for the benefit of both countries. The youth of Russia and Saudi Arabia should understand each other," Rima Dahlem, a member of the delegation from Saudi Arabia, shared her impressions.

On August 27, the delegation will travel to Kazan to participate in the Global Youth Summit, where the experience gained in Moscow will be complemented by new discussions and opportunities for international networking.

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 International Youth Festival, 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.