Registration has opened for the International Festival of Youth 2026

On 5 February, registration for participation in the International Festival of Youth 2026 (IFY-2026) was launched at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the marathon "Russia — a Family of Families" organised by the Russian society Znanie. The largest youth event of 2026 will take place from 11 to 17 September in Yekaterinburg and will become a platform bringing together young people from all over the world who are ready to take responsibility for the future of the planet. Registration will remain open until 30 April on the website.

The International Festival of Youth, designed for 10,000 participants, will become part of the "family" of events of the World Youth Festival, which began in Sirius in 2024. In accordance with instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, aimed at preserving and developing the legacy of the World Youth Festival, international youth events are now held in Russia annually. Thus, in September 2025 the World Youth Festival Rally took place in Nizhny Novgorod, bringing together 2,000 participants.

"Developing international youth cooperation is one of the priorities of the national project 'Youth and Children', implemented on the initiative of the President, Vladimir Putin. We are preserving and consistently expanding the legacy of the World Youth Festival 2024, creating conditions for open dialogue and long-term cooperation among young people. This year, the International Festival of Youth in Yekaterinburg will bring together 10,000 young leaders from more than 100 countries. It will become a showcase of the best Russian projects and practices, demonstrate the openness of our country and highlight its contribution to the global youth movement," emphasised the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Chernyshenko.

Participants of IFY-2026 will include 5,000 Russians and 5,000 foreign citizens under the age of 35. Traditionally, this will include not only young adults but also teenagers aged 14 to 17: 500 from Russia and 500 from other countries.

Photo: Press Office of Rosmolodezh

"In the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia launched by President Vladimir Putin, the International Festival of Youth will become a truly unifying event and will clearly demonstrate to the world the richness and uniqueness of our country’s culture. After the main Festival programme concludes, 1,000 international participants will take part in a regional programme across 30 regions of Russia and will also visit the Republic of Abkhazia. Young people will explore key regional landmarks, join expeditions, meet indigenous small-numbered peoples, see the country’s technological achievements, and learn more about Russia’s historical and cultural heritage and the centuries-old unity of hundreds of peoples. We are waiting for young people from all over the world in Russia — a country of limitless opportunities, open to everyone who is ready to build the future of a multipolar world together with us," noted the Head of Rosmolodezh, Grigory Gurov.

Hero of Russia and Chair of the Board of the Movement of the First, Artur Orlov, stressed that this year Russia will become a place of unity for children and young people from around the world. The children’s programme is being organised by the Movement of the First together with the Talent and Success Educational Foundation.

"Our programme will introduce young participants to the achievements of modern Russia and enable them to develop joint projects across a wide range of fields — from science, education, digitalisation, creativity and creative industries to media, sport, entrepreneurship and civic engagement. The initiatives presented by participants will be jointly developed within the framework of the International Association of Children’s Organisations. It is important to always remember that today’s children are the future leaders of their countries," Artur Orlov said.

Yekaterinburg will also welcome 2,000 volunteers from across Russia. Volunteers will work across 17 functional areas, from logistics and accreditation to delegation support and content creation. After the main programme ends, volunteers will accompany international delegations within the regional programme in expedition format.

Candidates for the volunteer corps must be over 16 years old, have experience in volunteer and public activity, a high level of motivation, foreign language skills, strong communication abilities and teamwork skills.

Since 5 December 2025, 5,500 volunteers have already submitted applications. Applications for the volunteer programme can be submitted via the Dobro.rf platform until 31 March 2026.

"The International Festival of Youth in Yekaterinburg will become the next step in the development of the global youth community formed during the World Youth Festival 2024. Its participants are young leaders from around the world who are ready to take responsibility for the future and jointly shape tomorrow’s agenda. Thanks to the sector-based formation of international delegations, Russia will host leading representatives of key areas of public life: creative industries, public administration, science and education, sport, entrepreneurship, media, digitalisation and IT, and the social sector. These young leaders are already shaping the future of their countries today, and their experience is invaluable for global dialogue. It is precisely through cooperation and joint work that the image of tomorrow’s world is born — a multipolar world based on cooperation, respect and the search for balance of interests, where the dreams of young people cease to be abstract ideas and become reality," commented the Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate, Dmitry Ivanov.

The organisers of the International Festival of Youth 2026 are the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs and the Government of the Sverdlovsk Region, while the event operator is the World Youth Festival Directorate.