Student Unity Day — 2026 was celebrated at the National Centre RUSSIA
On 25 January, the National Centre RUSSIA hosted the
celebration of Student Unity Day — 2026. The event was organised by the
Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia together with the Russian
society Znanie, Rosmolodezh, and the All-Russian student project "Your
Move". Around 600 students from across the country came together in a
space designed for professional communication, the exchange of ideas, and inspiration.
The ceremonial launch of the event was given by Deputy Minister of Science and
Higher Education of the Russian Federation Olga Petrova and Deputy Head of the
Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) Leyla Zotova.
"Russian Students Day is a celebration that truly
brings people together and, importantly, unites more than one generation. We
often repeat the phrase that there are no former students, and it is precisely
this sense of community that connects us all. Student life is one of the best
periods in every person’s life: it is the time when a solid foundation for the
future is laid, lifelong friendships are formed, and opportunities arise that
are unique to this stage. At the same time, today’s students can find it
challenging, as there are so many opportunities that the question becomes how
to keep up with everything. That is why projects such as 'Your Move', whose
sixth season launches today, exist — to help young people realise themselves
and develop their ideas, along with initiatives by our colleagues at
Rosmolodezh, which are part of the national project 'Youth and Children'.
Together with universities, we are creating an environment that helps young
people become true patriots and socially responsible citizens of our great
country," Olga Petrova noted.
During discussions with students, the Director of the
Information and Press Department and Official Representative of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Maria Zakharova, also spoke about
the important role of young people in the life of the country: "I have
always emphasised that the role of students is truly invaluable. Young people
want to tell their stories and express themselves. When many people abroad look
for news about Russia, what could be more interesting than hearing from
students who live in our country and are experiencing such a vivid and crucial
moment in their lives — gaining knowledge and taking their first steps towards
applying it. <…> I always stress that this is a genuinely invaluable
contribution to digital diplomacy."
The National Centre RUSSIA hosted motivational meetings with
honoured guests, lectures by well-known speakers, workshop, and performances by
prominent Russian artists, including singer and actor Tornike Kvitatianni — a
participant in the shows "The Voice" and "Titans" and the
winner of "Survive in Samarkand" — as well as theatre and film actor,
showman, television host, and improviser Arseny Popov. The Chairman of the
State Duma Committee on Youth Policy and Head of the Dobro.rf Ecosystem, Artyom
Metelev, held a motivational meeting with young people.
The goal of the event was to strengthen Russia’s unified student community and to highlight the contribution of young people to the country’s cultural, scientific, and public life during the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, declared by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. Thus, as early as 2025, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, an All-Russian university team contest was held. The project received 866 applications from 82 regions of the country and identified 29 best practices, ranging from career guidance and support for young families to patriotic education and the unity of the peoples of Russia.
Students were able to discuss success stories with
practising entrepreneurs, receive valuable advice on implementing business
ideas, learn how to set career goals, choose promising fields of study, and
develop relevant skills. Experts also spoke about modern technological trends
and information protection in the digital age. The interactive educational
programme featured Alexei Lokontsev, founder of the TOPGUN barbershop chain and
COLIZEUM esports clubs and co-founder of the TOPRACING esports racing arenas;
Amir Sarakov, Vice President of SuperJob and a Forbes 30 Under 30 nominee;
Vyacheslav Dubynin, neurophysiologist, Doctor of Biological Sciences, and
Professor at the Faculty of Biology of Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Channel One host, author of the book "Psychology and Practice of Public
Speaking", and practising psychologist Sergei Tugushev shared several of
his professional public speaking techniques with students during his master
class.
As part of the programme, the sixth season of the
All-Russian student project "Your Move" was officially launched. The
project is part of the national project "Youth and Children", is
implemented with the support of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs and the
Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, and is included
in the portfolio of projects of the presidential platform "Russia — Land
of Opportunity". The "Your Move" project creates a supportive
environment for the development of initiatives and projects by active young
people.
Event photobank
A meeting with Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department and official spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, was held at the National Centre RUSSIA.
Celebrations of Student Unity Day — 2026 were held at the National Centre RUSSIA.
In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, declared by the President, Vladimir Putin, "Student Unity Day — 2026" was held across the country on 25 January.
