World Youth Festival Directorate

From the cage to your feed 🥊 Meet Taki Rahmani, MMA champion, content creator, and one of the members of our International Content Center, Taki is originally from Algeria. He’s learning Russian, sharing his journey online, and inspiring thousands of people to stay active and chase their goals. Taki has already joined the Eurasia Global Forum as an expert and took part in the WYFD Media School 🔥 Now, just like us, he’s counting down the days until the International Festival of Youth 2026! 🟢

The most awaited recap of the week is finally here! Let’s catch up on everything we missed ⭐️ 💙 World Youth Festival Directorate visited South Ossetia on a working trip. 💚 Accreditation of Foreign Journalists and Bloggers for the International Festival of Youth – 2026 Ongoing! 💜 The BRICS+ International Youth Mentoring Program is in full swing! 🧡 Two tickets to the International Festival of Youth 2026 have found their winners! 🩷 Let’s tell the world about the International Festival of Youth 2026 together!

🇬🇹 How much do you know about Guatemala? Karla Argueta moved to Russia to pursue her dream of studying music, but she’s bringing a piece of Guatemala with her. From Mayan languages to sky-high kites and handcrafted textiles, every tradition has a story to tell 🌎 📌 Swipe the cards and discover Guatemala’s #cultural_code!

Ni hao! 🇨🇳 Our journey through the stories of inspiring foreigners in Russia continues 🇷🇺 Meet Cheng Chang from China — she speaks fluent Russian, studies and works in Moscow, and took part in the WYF–2024, the WYF Assembly 2025 and its regional program. ⭐️ Hit play to hear her story, discover her favorite places in Russia, and catch today’s #russian_lifehack!

Two tickets to the International Festival of Youth 2026 have found their winners! 🟢 Sulistiyono from Indonesia and Salsabila Nadhira from Malaysia have earned the opportunity to take part in this year’s biggest international youth event. ⚡️ They were selected during the Rosatom International Forum “Obninsk NEW 2026” and will travel to Ekaterinburg this September, where they will join 10 000 participants from 190 countries. 🔬 Science and technology will be among the Festival’s key themes, including a dedicated track on nuclear energy — a strategic field shaping sustainable development and technological sovereignty around the world. 💥 Together, we’re strengthening international scientific cooperation!

Let’s tell the world about the International Festival of Youth 2026 together! 🌎 Today, Rossiya Segodnya International Media Group and the World Youth Festival Directorate signed a cooperation agreement. 🌀 Under the partnership, RIA Novosti will serve as the General Information Partner, while Sputnik will be the Information Partner of the International Festival of Youth 2026. This isn’t the first time we’ve worked together. During the World Youth Festival 2024, our partnership helped bring the Festival’s atmosphere to millions of people in Russia and around the world. What’s next? Interviews, reports, live broadcasts, educational projects, and joint content featuring journalists and experts from different countries. 🟢 Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate, noted that the partnership will help share the Festival’s key values and the stories of its participants with audiences around the globe.

🚀 The BRICS+ International Youth Mentoring Program is in full swing! Participants Christian de Leon from Guatemala, Sabrina Maciel from Brazil, and Percy Nkosi and Keorapetse Malgas from South Africa have already immersed themselves in the program 🟢 In this video, they share their experience, the insights they’ve gained, and the ideas sparked through learning alongside experts and mentors from around the world. 💚 Hit play and get inspired!

Accreditation of Foreign Journalists and Bloggers for the International Festival of Youth – 2026 Ongoing 🖥 From September 11 to 17, Ekaterinburg will become the city of the world's youth. This large-scale event will bring together 10 000 young leaders from 190 countries — professionals who have already made achievements and proven their expertise in science, education, media, public administration, entrepreneurship, and other fields — to exchange experience, address global challenges, and shape a shared vision of the future.   The festival program will feature media figures, as well as leading Russian and international experts. ➡️ You can submit your application until July 17, 2026, via the International Platform of Opportunities. Accreditation grants access to all official event venues. An International Media Center will be set up for media representatives, offering workspaces and a lounge area, as well as spaces for press briefings, daily briefings, and exclusive interviews. ✈️ Foreign media representatives will also be provided with transfer to Ekaterinburg and accommodation services at the city's hotels. Foreign journalists without accreditation from the Russian Foreign Ministry must attach the following to their application: 🔹 an editorial assignment; 🔹 a media outlet certificate; 🔸 a brief biography (CV); 🔺 a personal photo; 🔹 a copy of a valid press card.   Instructions for any accreditation-related questions, please contact: 📧 press@wyffest.com

Still refreshing your inbox? ⌛ While you wait for the IFY–2026 results, let’s see what the universe has planned. Press play, pause the video, and reveal your prediction. 💚 Tell us what you got!

Greetings from Tskhinval! ❤️ Artem Fomin, First Deputy Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate, visited South Ossetia on a working trip. Together with Alan Tibilov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of South Ossetia, he met with student leaders at South Ossetian State University and held a press conference at Sputnik South Ossetia. Here are the key outcomes: 🔵 Around 130 young people from South Ossetia will take part in the International Festival of Youth 2026. 🟢 WYFD is committed to expanding opportunities for South Ossetian youth to participate in international projects. 🟣 During the Festival in Ekaterinburg, WYFD and South Ossetia will sign a cooperation agreement. The visit also opened the door to new joint initiatives and preparations for this year’s biggest international youth event 🟢