Yekaterinburg is set to host the International Festival of Youth 2026 from September 11 to 17, bringing together 10,000 young leaders under 35 from 191 countries. The gathering will include 5,000 Russian participants and 5,000 international delegates.
Africa’s growing role
Africa is expected to have a strong presence, with 3,300 applications submitted from the continent. Ethiopia led with 475 applications, followed by Nigeria with 471, Tanzania with 401 and South Africa with 87.
Festival organisers have also engaged youth institutions, civil society groups and government representatives in Tanzania, South Africa, Libya, the Central African Republic, Egypt, Algeria, Zambia and Senegal. In South Africa, the festival was promoted at the BRICS+ Youth Innovation Summit at Tshwane University of Technology, which attracted more than 300 delegates.
Media Stream programme
The Media Stream, running from September 13 to 16, will focus on journalism, digital storytelling and the creative industries. About 43 African journalists and bloggers are expected to participate through arrangements facilitated by African Initiative.
Discussions will cover:
- Russia’s appeal to young people from abroad.
- Culture and international dialogue.
- Russian technology and research with global applications.
- Protecting critical thinking in the age of deepfakes and rapid social-media distribution.
South African media executive Ayanda Hollow, president of TV BRICS Africa, is scheduled to speak on Russia’s image in the global information space. Tanzanian doctor Crecensia Peter Mashauri will also discuss her journey from Mwanza to a medical career in Russia’s Arctic north.
International speakers
The programme is expected to include former Austrian foreign minister Karin Kneissl, Mariinsky Theatre conductor Christian Knapp, actor and producer Miloš Biković, journalist Chay Bowes, filmmaker Liu Xuan and television host Rick Sanchez.
Workshops will explore creative uses of artificial intelligence, news production, creative thinking and streaming. The Content Race will also allow young participants to compete for prizes by producing original social-media content.
Festival background
The event follows the 2024 World Youth Festival in Sirius, which brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries. Organisers say the 2026 festival received more than 113,000 applications worldwide, while Rosatom is serving as general partner and bringing a delegation of 267 young specialists from Russia and abroad
