Russia has officially unveiled preparations for the International Festival of Youth 2026, with Moscow hosting the first meeting of the Organizing Committee for the preparation and holding of the forum on Wednesday.
The Festival which is being implemented as part of the national project “Youth and Children”, is set to take place in Ekaterinburg in September 2026, according to a decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to a statement sent to newsrooms following the meeting held Wednesday, the Festival will bring together 10,000 young people from 190 countries around the world.
The Organizing Committee, chaired by First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko disclosed that a new feature of the Festival will be the formation of foreign delegations according to their fields of activities.
“The International Festival of Youth will be held in Ekaterinburg this year and will bring together 10,000 young people from 190 countries around the world. A new feature of the Festival will be the formation of foreign delegations according to their fields of activities,” noted Sergei.
The Committee also includes representatives of the Presidential Executive Office and the Russian Government, federal executive authorities, heads of major Russian companies, rectors of leading Russian educational institutions, representatives of Russian media holdings and news agencies.
Sergei noted that the Festival will be attended by the best representatives of the creative industries, public administration, science and technology, sports, entrepreneurship, media, and the social sector those who are already shaping the future of their countries and the world.
Adding that: “That is why it is fundamentally important for the Festival to become a showcase for the best Russian projects and practices. We want to show young leaders the real Russia a country of limitless opportunities, where people know how to dream and turn dreams into reality. It is no coincidence that the motto of the 2026 Festival is “Follow your dream. Together with Russia.” In the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, announced by President Vladimir Putin, the Festival will become a truly unifying event, clearly demonstrating to the world the richness, diversity, and uniqueness of the traditions of the peoples of our country.”
Additionally, Sergei proposed continuing the practice of regional programs expeditions for foreign participants to regions of Russia emphasizing the importance of introducing young people from abroad to the real Russia without the stereotypes of Western media, offering them to see the country’s everyday life and its rich cultural heritage, and centuries of experience of harmonious coexistence among hundreds of peoples.
The regional program will take place in 30 regions of Russia. For the first time, the Organizing Committee has decided to conduct one foreign expedition to a friendly country that has deep historical and cultural ties with Russia the Republic of Abkhazia.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of the Russian Federation and Deputy Chairman of the Organizing Committee Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized that hosting the International Festival of Youth in Ekaterinburg is a great responsibility, given the high level of the World Youth Festival in 2024 at “Sirius”.
“The national project ‘Youth and Children’ has been implemented since last year. The national project includes a federal project called ‘Russia in the World’, which is dedicated to international youth cooperation and aims to promote a positive image of our country abroad. As part of the national project, the International Festival of Youth is being held, with the proposed dates set for September 11-17, 2026,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Dmitry Chernyshenko noted that 5,000 Russian participants, including 1,000 children aged 14 to 17, and 5,000 participants from abroad will take part in the Festival. The volunteer corps will bring together 2,000 volunteers who will help organize and conduct the international event.
“It is proposed that foreign delegations be selected through an open competition among participants. Our colleagues have experience in this area. This will allow us to identify and invite the most promising and talented representatives of foreign youth in accordance with the program tracks that will be needed at the Festival,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko. The Deputy Prime Minister called on federal agencies to submit proposals for the program of events, and for the Russian and foreign participants among young scientists and researchers, representatives of the cultural sphere, creative industries, the sports community, and young teachers.
The head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) and executive secretary of the Festival Organizing Committee, Grigory Gurov, reported on the work already done and presented a draft concept for the event.
“We want to show that Russia is a country where everyone can find their calling and fulfill their dreams. Festival participants will work together to create a picture of the world of the future, where young people’s dreams become reality. Inspired by the successful experience of the World Youth Festival 2024 in “Sirius”, we are developing the concept of the “City of World Youth”: not only at the Festival venue, but throughout Ekaterinburg, there will be a useful program, cultural events, concerts, and festivals to feel the atmosphere of creativity, exchange of ideas, and international cooperation,” said Grigory Gurov.
Reports on the readiness of the Sverdlovsk Region and its infrastructure to host the Festival were presented by the region’s governor, Denis Pasler, and the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Valery Falkov.
“Hosting the International Festival of Youth in the Sverdlovsk Region confirms the region’s status as the country’s youth center. I would like to thank the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin for the trust he has placed in the Middle Urals. Our task is to unite young people from all over the world, inspire them, and create safe and comfortable conditions for international dialogue and exchange of experience. To show and tell about a modern, creative region with a rich history of mining and metallurgy,” said Denis Pasler.
Valery Falkov, head of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, noted that the domestic higher education system is creating the necessary conditions for high-quality education, comfort, and the development of talented young students.
“One of the flagship programs approved by our President Vladimir Putin in the higher education system is the construction of student campuses. It is the new campus of the Ural Federal University that will host the participants of the International Festival of Youth. I am confident that our students and foreign students will appreciate the opportunities offered by the campus and will spend their time there productively,” said Valery Falkov.
The meeting participants discussed financing issues, with particular attention paid to ensuring the security of the event.
“The first meeting of the Organizing Committee moved preparations for the International Festival of Youth into the realm of concrete decisions and deadlines. Dates, tasks, and venues have been approved, setting a clear direction for the work. Specialized working groups have been formed to address tasks in each area, from the event program to logistics and medical support. This allows for the systematic coordination of efforts by all partners. The World Youth Festival Directorate, as the event operator, has received clear benchmarks and is entering the active phase of preparation. There are seven months left until the event, a period that will be used with maximum efficiency to create an event of the highest level,” commented Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate, on the results of the first meeting of the Organizing Committee.
The organizer of the International Festival of Youth 2026 is the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), and the event operator is the World Youth Festival Directorate.
The World Youth Festival
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 Festival of Youth 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.
