"Youth Capital of Russia" and "Youth City" named at Rosmolodezh’s "Time of the Young" award
On 20 December, at the awards ceremony of the All-Russian Youth Achievements Award "Time of the Young" held at the National Centre RUSSIA, the winners of two special categories were announced: "Youth Capital of Russia" — Smolensk, and "Youth City" — Yelets. The award is held as part of the national project "Youth and Children". The organiser of the award is Rosmolodezh.
A greeting to the participants, organisers, and guests of the awards ceremony of the All-Russian Youth Achievements Award "Time of the Young" was sent by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin: "This prestigious award is presented to those who have distinguished themselves in the field of youth policy. Among this year’s laureates are participants and veterans of the special military operation, leaders of public, volunteer, non-profit organisations and business circles, and journalists — people united by a sincere desire to contribute to the development of the younger generation of Russian citizens. And, of course, the key event of the ceremony will be the selection of the 'Youth Capital of Russia'."
Six regional centres competed for the title of "Youth Capital of Russia 2026": Vologda, Salekhard, Smolensk, Syktyvkar, Tomsk, and Chelyabinsk. Following expert assessment and a public vote on the Gosuslugi portal, the status was awarded to Smolensk.
"I would like to thank all the award winners and participants, because behind every award presented there is a great deal of team effort. You are people who devote to working with children and young people not only all your time and professional expertise, but also your soul and heart. Thanks to the decisions of our President, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, today Russia truly lives in the time of the young — a time to dream, a time to be proud, a time to love. Your time. To gain votes in the public ballot, it is necessary to engage neighbours, partner cities, and regions of one’s federal district. Every one of the 12 cities and 12 regions has done this work. Last year we were surprised by a record of more than 800,000 votes; this year there were more than 1,122,000 votes. You have shared your love for your cities — and that is already a major victory for each of you," said the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, Sergei Kiriyenko.
Over the course of the year, more than 150 major international, national, and interregional events were held in the Youth Capital, Omsk. Perm, in turn, became a platform for the development of children’s and family tourism. Over the year, Omsk and Perm together welcomed one million more visitors than the previous year: 1.5 million tourists visited Perm, and 1 million visited Omsk. The city opened the renovated Library No. 2 named after N.V. Gogol for young people and young families. The tourist routes "Youth Line" and "We Remember! We Honour! We Are Proud!" were included in Rosmolodezh’s federal programme "More Than a Trip".
"The two special categories of the 'Time of the Young' award — 'Youth Capital of Russia' and 'Youth City' — are determined by a nationwide vote. Russians themselves choose the cities that will become centres of youth projects for an entire year. We strive to ensure that the winner status is not a one-off, which is why support for cities continues not only during the year the title is awarded, but afterwards as well. Nizhny Novgorod, Vladivostok, Moscow, Omsk, and Perm continue to develop support conditions for young people. In 2026, Smolensk and Yelets will also become the main venues for celebrating Youth Day — they will welcome young people from across the country. The organisation of all events throughout the year will be supported by Rosmolodezh and its partners. This includes not only expert support, but also co-financing of projects," said the Head of Rosmolodezh, Grigory Gurov.
The special category "Youth Capital of Russia" has been awarded to cities for the fourth consecutive year. Every Russian citizen was able to influence the outcome. Half of the total possible points for the winning city came from the public vote. Public voting for the titles of "Youth Capital of Russia" and "Youth City" took place from 1 to 19 December on the Gosuslugi portal.
In 2026, the title of "Youth Capital of Russia" will be awarded to Smolensk, which won the public vote on the Gosuslugi portal. A total of 559,000 people voted for Smolensk.
"Smolensk is the Youth Capital of Russia 2026. We have successfully passed all three stages of the contest and became the leader of the public vote held on the Gosuslugi portal. More than half a million people voted for us — residents from many different parts of the country. Thank you to everyone who supported the hero city of Smolensk. This is our shared victory, our unity and solidarity," said the Governor of the Smolensk Region, Vasily Anokhin.
This year, for the first time, voting was also held in the special category "Youth City" for smaller towns and settlements that create no fewer opportunities for young people. This initiative allows such localities to receive federal support and compete on equal terms. Seven locations reached the final of the "Youth City" category: Vyksa, Yelets, Novy Urengoy, Norilsk, Staraya Russa, and Sheregesh. Yelets received 483,000 votes on the Gosuslugi portal.
"The emotions are simply overwhelming. I would like to thank everyone who cast their vote for our wonderful city — from Moscow to Kaliningrad — and also to thank Rosmolodezh. The most active, committed, and dedicated young people live in the city of Yelets. We are confident that our city will become an epicentre of youth events," said the Head of the Yelets urban district, Vyacheslav Zhabin.
The All-Russian Youth Achievements Award "Time of the Young" has been held since 2021 and recognises the best practices and projects in youth policy. This nationwide award is presented to specialists, leaders of youth organisations, and business representatives who have made a significant contribution to the development of youth policy in Russia. More than 1,600 people from across the country took part in the awards ceremony in Moscow, including representatives of federal and regional authorities, public organisations, youth communities, and award finalists.
The II Catherine Forum, dedicated to the integration of foreign nationals, the role of Russia in preserving traditional spiritual and moral values, and the historical legacy of Catherine II.
The event was held on 20 December at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the II Catherine Forum.
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