Yekaterinburg hosts International Youth Festival for 10,000 participants

The International Youth Festival is currently being held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, from September 11 to 17, 2026. The event has drawn approximately 10,000 participants representing 191 countries. The attendee group is split evenly between 5,000 representatives from Russia and 5,000 international guests. The festival also includes a dedicated program for 1,000 teenagers aged 14 to 17.

Organizers, including Grigory Gurov of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, noted that the festival received over 113,000 applications globally. The program features various thematic zones and workshops covering science, digital technology, media, public administration, entrepreneurship, and the creative industries. Participants are working on projects intended to foster international connections and collaborative solutions.

Officials stated that the high level of foreign participation, with international applications exceeding Russian ones for the first time, serves to demonstrate Russia's openness and counter efforts to isolate the country. The festival operates under the theme ‘Follow Your Dream’ and includes cultural, sporting, and educational activities.