Preparations for the World Youth Festival, slated to run in the Sirius federal district from March 1 to March 7, are entering the final stretch. The platform will welcome around 20,000 participants from more than 180 countries. This update came from Rosmolodezh head Ksenia Razuvaeva during a press conference at Rossiya Segodnya, the international news agency. [Source: Rosmolodezh]
Razuvaeva described the festival as a world-scale event and noted that more than 300,000 applications were received for participation. The sheer volume signals a strong global interest and a broad youth engagement that cuts across continents. [Source: Rosmolodezh]
She emphasized that the project is no longer about isolation or distant aspirations. The organizers have prepared the final stages of the venue infrastructure, leveraging facilities that served as a legacy of the Olympic Games. The team also drew on substantial experience from past international events of this scale. [Source: Rosmolodezh]
The selection process for festival participants was rigorous, involving multiple evaluation steps. Applicants underwent a six-stage series that included a portfolio review, written articles, and video business cards. The process was designed to identify strong communicators, creative minds, and demonstrated leadership. A rating system was used to rank applicants, and the final delegations were formed from among the top performers. [Source: Rosmolodezh]
Journalists were informed that the World Youth Festival will feature a special children’s program titled Together to the Future. This initiative, organized at Sirius by the all-Russian children’s and youth movement Movement of Firsts, aims to engage younger participants in meaningful activities alongside the main festival events. [Source: Movement of Firsts]
Elena Shmeleva, who heads the Sirius training center and serves as chair of the federal district council, announced that this program marks a historic first for the world festival movement. It represents a deliberate effort to integrate youth education with real-world collaboration and innovation. [Source: Sirius]
Shmeleva noted that more than 80,000 applications from 144 countries were submitted to participate in the program, with a final selection admitting 1,000 children—500 from Russia and 500 from abroad. The emphasis is on creating a truly international cohort that can share perspectives and learn from one another. [Source: Sirius]
At Sirius, participants will explore a range of thematic areas, including science and education, technology and innovation, culture and arts, humanities and social sciences, sports and ecology. Mentors and instructors come from the First Movement and partner institutions at Sirius University and the broader training network, ensuring a rich, interdisciplinary experience for all attendees. [Source: Sirius]