World Youth Festival

To foster international youth cooperation and build a shared future—one that is just, multipolar, and rooted in collaboration and the pursuit of a balanced exchange of interests.

Objectives:

1. To introduce Russian and international youth to the wide array of opportunities our country has to offer.
2. To share the best of Russian values and culture, while also learning about the interests and aspirations of youth from other countries

Duration of the Initiative:

Long-term project.

Positive Impact (Indicators and Outputs of the Initiative):

WYF 2024 brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries around the world.

Preparation Phase:

Program Vision

The World Youth Festival, held in 2024, aimed to foster international youth cooperation between Russia and other countries. The Festival’s program was centered around a set of traditional values. Young people from around the world were invited to reflect on these values together and exchange ideas on how to build a future that is comfortable for all. The program included not only discussions and lectures but also an exhibition program, cultural exchanges, sports competitions, group workouts, volunteering activities, and group trips.

The idea for the Festival was inspired by the traditions of youth and student festivals held multiple times in Russia—in 1957, 1985, and 2017—each time bringing together tens of thousands of participants from across the globe.

Organizational Committee & Identifying partners

President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, signed a decree to hold the World Youth Festival in 2024 and approved the composition of the organizing committee for the event’s preparation. Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, served as the Chair of the Organizing Committee.

The general partners of WYF-2024 included the Russian Society “Znanie,” Rostelecom, Sberbank, VK, Russian Railways, Aeroflot, Sibur, and Rosseti. Official partners included Gazprom Neft, Tatneft, Avtovaz, Sovcombank, the Russian Environmental Operator, the Renova Charitable Foundation, and Transneft.

Identifying Necessary Resources 

The government has been tasked with making all the necessary arrangements for the event, including determining the location, logistics, and sources of funding. Additionally, 5,000 volunteers from all regions of Russia were involved in organizing the Festival.

Timeline

February 29 – March 1: Participants’ arrival at the Sirius Federal Territory.
March 1 – 7: Main program of the Festival.
March 8 – 17: Regional program, with foreign participants visiting 31 Russian cities.

Media Plan

A large-scale media campaign was launched during the preparation and hosting of the Festival, which resulted in more than 365,000 media and social media posts with an audience of 8.24 billion people.

1. Promotion of the application campaign: May 2023 – December 2023
2. Preparation for the Festival: December 2023 – February 2024
3. Media coverage of the Festival and the regional program: March 2024
4. Post-festival work: April 2024 – till now

Channels of Communication

1. Official website
2.  Mass media
3.  Social media
4.  Email mailing list
5.  Special projects
6.  Bloggers

Participation criteria for the program:

20,000 young leaders from various fields, including business, media, education, science, international cooperation, culture, volunteering, charity, sports, and more, were invited to participate in the World Youth Festival, including 10,000 international participants.

Implementation Phase:

Program Registration

International and Russian youth had to register on the official website WYF 2024. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 35, as well as teenagers aged 14 to 17, regardless of their country of residence could apply.

As part of the preparations for the World Youth Festival, National Preparatory Committees (NPCs) have been established. 

The tasks of the Committees included the selection of foreign participants, the formation of foreign delegations, as well as the popularization of the festival in the participating countries. In addition, after the World Youth Festival, the NPCs have become the basis for the formation of an active international youth movement in the participating countries.

Managing the Initiative and Monitoring Performance

The Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) was the organizer of the World Youth Festival, with the World Youth Festival Directorate serving as the operator for the WYF 2024.

Documentation

Regulatory Documents: Agreement to the processing of personal data; Organization Charter
Information and Reference Documents: Participant Code of Conduct; Participant Handbook.

Post-Initiative Phase:

Evaluating the Initiative

Following the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, the World Youth Festival (WYF) will be held in Russia every six years. Every six years, 10,000 young people from around the world will gather at the International Youth Festival, and in the interim, international themed events and gatherings will take place under the auspices of the WYF. Various festival events will also be organized annually in Russia.

In line with the President’s instructions on preserving and developing the legacy of the Festival, the World Youth Festival Directorate continues to work on strengthening international youth cooperation.

As a result, the World Youth Festival has become a permanent platform for fostering international collaboration among young people.

International Friendship Clubs

International Friendship Clubs (IFCs) are associations for active young people from around the world, established through the Cultural Partnership program of the World Youth Festival in 2024.

IFCs serve as a platform for the implementation of international youth initiatives, fostering cooperation and strengthening friendly ties between Russia’s regions and foreign countries.