An international study internship for leaders and activists in the fields of volunteering and non-profit organizations, called "Volunteering Unites", is taking place in the capital of Yugra. This event is organized by the International Friendship Club of Yugra.
The internship is attended by 25 young people from 17 countries: Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, the Republic of Belarus, Cameroon, Chad, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, Uzbekistan and Zambia.
Starting from November 23, participants in Yugra will have the opportunity to learn about Russia, become acquainted with the best regional and federal social practices, share experiences, and develop a plan for future joint activities. The program also includes immersion into the culture and traditions of the indigenous people of the North, training and strategic sessions, and visits to local non-profit organizations.
"This is the second major in-person event of the Yugra International Friendship Club. The internship will take place within three days. On the first day we will get acquainted with the activities of our foreign participants, on the second day we will talk about events, practices and projects in Yugra and Russia. On the third day, we will work on joint activities for implementation next year," said Konstantin Krivoruchenko, Program Director of the internship and leader of the Yugra International Friendship Club.
One of the participants of the internship is a resident of Nigeria, who studies at the Ural Federal University at the Faculty of Neuropsychology, practices at a medical center and helps adults and children with severe injuries, including mental ones.
"I am pleased to have the chance to meet like-minded people, establish connections, and expand my social network through activities that contribute to making society a better place. This has been my primary motivation for applying for this internship. I have faced many challenges in my life, particularly related to my socioeconomic situation. However, I have never allowed these obstacles to hinder my desire to contribute to society. I want to demonstrate to participants that volunteering is not only for those who have achieved success and are "full". It's also about the desire to serve others, even when it may be challenging for oneself," said Vine Matthew Ikpe from Nigeria.
Maria Orlova, First Deputy Director of the Department of Youth Policy, Civil Initiatives and External Relations of Yugra, stressed that the region has all the necessary infrastructure to maintain and develop international relations in the third sector. One example is the grant from the Governor of Ugra in 18 nominations, including international activities and public diplomacy.
"The international study internship "Volunteering Unites" aroused genuine interest among foreign citizens. In just a few days of the application campaign, we collected 882 applications from representatives of 71 countries. According to the results of a careful selection, 25 young people from 17 countries participated in the event. Many of them came for the first time, which is very encouraging. Three participants from Kyrgyzstan were already in Khanty-Mansiysk in 2024 for the international internship "New Generation" and returned this year for new knowledge and experience exchange. All the participants will become part of our Yugra International Friendship Club, which will allow both sides to exchange ideas and solutions, jointly develop and implement new projects, making life more comfortable and interesting," said Maria Orlova.
The final result of the event will be the developed schedule of joint events of the Yugra International Friendship Club with the participants of the internship.
The internship was organized by the Government of Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Area - Yugra and represented by the Department of Youth Policy, Civil Initiatives and External Relations of Yugra, the World Youth Festival Directorate, the Youth Center of Yugra, the Yugra International Friendship Club.
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 Youth Festival 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.