Youth Day was celebrated with workshops and meaningful encounters at the National Centre RUSSIA

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On June 28, the "Youth Day 2025" festival was held across the country. It was organised by the presidential platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity," Rosmolodezh, the Movement of the First, and the Russian society Znanie. At the National Centre RUSSIA, festival participants had the chance to speak with well-known athletes and outstanding teachers, learn how to build and monetise a personal brand, and draw inspiration from real stories of resilience shared by participants in the "Russia — Land of Opportunity" Award.

The presidential platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity" prepared an extensive and practical programme for visitors to the "Space of Opportunities," built around pride in the country’s achievements and the importance of multiplying them.

"Dear friends! I sincerely congratulate you on Youth Day! You are the present and the future of Russia, and I truly believe that each of you has every opportunity for growth and to achieve all your goals. Every one of your projects, each initiative, every professional success – these are the building blocks of our shared tomorrow. On the platform 'Russia – Land of Opportunity,' we create projects that help young people unlock their potential. 'Leaders of Russia' is a management school where one can gain invaluable experience and the support of mentors. 'It Runs in the Family' brings together generations: participants carry out good deeds together, engage in sport, explore their family history and create reasons for family pride. 'TopBLOG' and the 'New Media Workshop' open doors for those ready to shape the information space and set new trends. 'Flagships of Education' help future teachers develop professionally, while 'Professional Development' offers a starting point for young specialists in any field. We offer opportunities to stand out in the 'National Technology Olympiad,' 'My Country — My Russia,' 'KARDO,' and other projects. On the presidential platform, you can find like-minded people, receive a grant, secure an internship, or land your dream job. The most important thing is to believe in yourself and take action! Let this Youth Day be a fresh start for you. Dream big, act boldly, and we will be here to support your initiatives," said Andrei Betin, Director General of the presidential platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity" and Rector of the Senezh Management Workshop. 

One of the programme’s key events was the open dialogue "Being Yourself — A Choice to Be Proud Of," featuring Anatoly Katkov, a participant in the Special Military Operation, recipient of the Order of Courage, and contributor to the Rospatriotcentre's "Your Hero" programme and the "Time of Heroes" initiative. He spoke about discovering a new vocation and continuing to serve others, and discussed with attendees the theme of pride in one’s country and in personal choices.

Guests were treated to a screening of the short film "Youth’s Front Line — Letters from Bryansk," created with the support of the Movement of the First and the Internet Development Institute. The story follows 10-year-old Artyom Chesnov from the town of Fokino in the Bryansk region, who, concerned for the soldiers at the front, wrote down his heartfelt wishes and sent them to the zone of the special military operation. His message touched the defenders of the Fatherland so deeply that he soon received a reply letter with words of gratitude. Today, Artyom and his friends have launched a whole "frontline post," which has become an important channel of communication between children in Russia and the soldiers taking part in the operation.

The "SportTrek" project, with the support of the social initiative "Star Troopers," hosted an open session for visitors with outstanding athletes: Olympic champion in synchronised swimming Gelena Topilina, Kontinental Hockey League player Ansel Galimov, and Vladimir Agababyan, former coach of the Russian 3x3 basketball team that won silver at the Tokyo Olympics. The athletes spoke about discipline, motivation, their professional journeys and the mentors who influenced them. At the end of the event, guests received autographs and took photos with the speakers as a memento. 

The "Flagships of Education" project hosted a panel discussion titled "Heroes in the Profession," dedicated to the present and future of pedagogy, the role of teachers in society, and emerging media portrayals of modern-day heroes. A highlight of the event was a workshop led by TV presenter and producer Dmitry Shepelev, who took on the role of a "teacher at the blackboard" and shared insights on how to speak about oneself, one’s work, and achievements in the media space with clarity and integrity.

Finalists and winners of the "Russia – Land of Opportunity" Award — Stanislav Rozanov, General Director of TUBOT LLC; Gleb Kim, PhD in Medicine, cardiac surgeon and Director General of Expert Opinion LLC; Ivan Panov, Head of the Educational Foresight Laboratory at the Academy of Psychology and Pedagogy of the Southern Federal University; Konstantin Yegoshin, founder and head of the Professor’s Sneakers IT company; and Nikita Vostrov, founder and head of the Additivka Creative Engineering Bureau — took part in the interactive session "Be Proud of Your Future: Youth Projects at the Start of a Long Journey." They shared key insights into launching initiatives in various fields. Guests learned how to start and grow a project without ideal conditions, how to build a team, secure funding, integrate artificial intelligence into their lives and work, and received personal consultations and memorable gifts. 

The TopBLOG project hosted an open panel discussion titled "Be Proud of Yourself: How Personal Branding Influences Success," as part of the "Space of Opportunities" programme. The speakers were project ambassadors — engineer and science blogger Yegor Rzhanov, sports commentator Anna Smirnova, and blogger Iren Rushen. The session was moderated by communication expert, RUDN University lecturer, and creator of the show "PR-Roast" Anastasiya Komissarova. Together, they explored how personal branding fosters confidence, helps overcome fear of judgement, transforms ideas into compelling media content, and builds a reputation that can unlock both career and personal opportunities. Speakers shared personal stories and practical advice — from starting out with no budget, to coping with burnout and recovery, finding a unique style, and embracing mistakes as stepping stones to growth.

The "ProfDevelopment" project also held a panel discussion, where its ambassadors spoke about key steps to achieving professional success. They shared insights on creating the perfect digital portfolio, the importance of real-life case studies, and the value of volunteering experience. Participants highlighted their own success stories: Ilya Zinovyev, who rose from volunteer to staff member at the Rosmolodezh Forum Directorate thanks to the project; Anastasia Savchuk, who advanced from a PR intern to head of the press office at Chitai-Gorod; and Daniil Manukhin, who proved that flexibility and multi-disciplinary growth can lead to a dream job. These examples serve to inspire young people to make active use of the opportunities available for professional development.

During Youth Day, all programme activities earned participants points as part of the "A Different Matter" project. These points were awarded for attending lectures, completing educational tasks related to the projects of the presidential platform, and other engagements. Accumulated points could be exchanged for prizes from "A Different Matter" and Kavkaz.RF. 

As part of the Youth Day celebrations, regional stages of the KARDO International Competition-Award were held across 12 Russian regions. The events took place in Moscow, the Krasnodar, Altai, Tomsk, Novgorod, Sakhalin, Omsk, Kirov, Smolensk, Vladimir, Orenburg, and Sverdlovsk regions. These regional stages offered young talents an opportunity to express themselves, inspire others, and contribute to a unique atmosphere of creativity and energy throughout Youth Day.

Participants showcased their skills in various street culture disciplines and learned from mentors and peers. Around 5,000 athletes from across Russia took part in the competitions. The winners of the regional rounds will represent their regions at the KARDO grand final in Stavropol this August.

Spectacular performances in streetball, calisthenics, breakdancing, BMX, skateboarding, stunt scooter riding, hip-hop, and other disciplines attracted tremendous interest from Youth Day visitors. The events drew an audience of approximately 400,000 people.

The platform’s events became a vibrant part of the large-scale festival "Know, Love, Be Proud, Multiply," organised by Rosmolodezh in cooperation with the Movement of the First, the Russian society Znanie, and the presidential platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity." Activities of the presidential platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity" were united under the theme "Be Proud," with the main venue of the celebration being the National Centre RUSSIA. The festival’s general partners were the Rosatom State Corporation and Sber.