2026 International Youth Festival to Be Held in Yekaterinburg
On December 29, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin signed a decree to hold the Festival in the Ural city.
“In 2026, Russia will once again open its doors to young people from around the world. The largest international youth event will take place in Yekaterinburg, the capital of the Urals, where the border between Europe and Asia lies. Holding the Festival in this Ural city will showcase Russia’s uniqueness as a country that brings together the traditions and potential of Europe and Asia. The large-scale event will bring together 10,000 participants: 5,000 from Russia and 5,000 from other countries. The Festival in Yekaterinburg will become a living embodiment of centuries of cultural dialogue,” said Grigory Gurov, head of Rosmolodezh.
“The approval of the host city moves preparations for the 2026 International Youth Festival into an active phase. We face a large-scale task: to create in the capital of the Urals a modern and comfortable environment for dialogue among 10,000 young leaders from around the world. Once the decree was signed, we began, among other things, building the festival infrastructure, working out logistics in detail, planning participant accommodation, and addressing other organizational matters. Early next year, we will officially announce the start of registration for the Festival. We invite active young people from Russia and other countries to take part in this grand event and shape a future based on co-creation and mutual respect. A future where every voice matters!” said Dmitry Ivanov, General Director of the Directorate of the World Youth Festival.
Recall that the World Youth Festival was held in 2024 in Sirius and brought together 20,000 young people from 190 countries. It resulted in the formation of a community of young leaders united by the ideas of preserving traditional values and historical memory, respecting the memory of ancestors, the sovereign equality of peoples, and building a multipolar world order. To preserve and develop this legacy, expand the community of young leaders that has formed, strengthen positive and constructive ties among young people worldwide, and support youth initiatives, the President of Russia instructed that festival events be held annually. The next World Youth Festival, with 20,000 participants, will take place in 2030. A smaller event—the International Youth Festival, with 10,000 participants—will be held in 2026. Between these events, World Youth Festival Gatherings for 2,000 participants will be held annually. The first WYF Gathering took place from September 17 to 21 in Nizhny Novgorod. Young people from 120 countries took part.