On 11-17 September, The International Festival of Youth (IFY-2026) — one of the largest-scale events in the area of international youth cooperation — took place in Yekaterinburg.
Over 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries and all 89 regions of Russia came together for making new connections, experiencing vivid emotions, and engaging in true international dialogue.
St. Petersburg was represented by 240 young delegates, among whom were students from the Presidential Academy in St. Petersburg.
The 2026 Festival was held under the motto «Follow Your Dream with Russia.» Participants represented eight key areas: science, entrepreneurship, sports, culture, public administration, media, IT, and the creative industries. The agenda featured discussions, lectures, workshops, sports and cultural events, volunteer projects, and excursions.
Our students shared:
For me, the International Festival of Youth was a true celebration of the world’s peoples that lasted a whole week. I was involved as a speaker and host for the Dobro.rf program, acted as a coordinator for the St. Petersburg delegation, and performed on the main stage. I am proud to have represented my university and the Northern Capital (St. Petersburg) on the international stage.
Kirill Goncharov, a third-year student in Law
The International Festival of Youth was a unique experience. It is a large-scale event that brings together young people from different countries. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet a wide variety of people — of different nationalities, cultures, and religions. It is great that we host festivals like this, as they help strengthen relations between nations.
Nikita Sarafanov, a final-year Master’s student in Law
The festival will stay in my memory forever. During this week, I met so many amazing people from different countries, attended interesting lectures and workshops, and took part in the Parade of Nations. The atmosphere was truly indescribable — everyone socializing, making friends, singing, and dancing—and I am so happy I got to be a part of it.
Polina Smirnova, a second-year student at the Faculty of Secondary Vocational Education
It was incredibly exciting to be part of such a significant event — countries from around the world and regions across Russia gathered for cultural and national exchange. It has been a long time since I experienced a week this action-packed: a whirlwind of emotions, lectures, concerts, and exhibition booths. One of the most memorable moments for me was the lecture by Sergey Lavrov…
Anastasia Terentyeva, a final-year student in Public and Municipal Administration
The 2026 International Festival of Youth became a space where thousands of young people from diverse countries spoke one language — the language of friendship, curiosity, and openness.
The Presidential Academy in St. Petersburg is proud of its students, who represented the university and our city worthily on the global stage.
