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What does a trip to Tatarstan look like without trying chak-chak? And Kamchatka without standing at the foot of a legendary volcano? 😍
Participants of the IFY–2026 Regional Expedition Program now have their own answers — from tasting real chak-chak to experiencing the power of a volcano up close. And, of course, plenty of photos that might make you want to pack your bags too 👀
Swipe through the highlights from their journeys and tell us: where would you go first? ✈️
Not lectures — real talk: how the IFY–2026 tackled digital safety 💻
This year the Alliance for Children's Safety in the Digital Environment joined the Festival for the first time — and over a few days, talked with young people from different countries about what already fills their digital lives: AI, deepfakes, digital twins, content creators, trust online.
One line stuck with us more than any other: "I'd rather ask AI for advice than ask someone my own age."
And when you want to not just talk about tricky digital topics, but actually see them play out — that's where theater comes in 🎭
Two plays at the Festival tackled the challenges of the digital world:
➡️ "The Search Continues" — made with support from LizaAlert and Beeline, three true-to-life stories about bullying, family conflict, and trusting strangers online.
➡️ "Cybertrial" — staged in English for the first time ever, with roles played by Festival participants from different countries, taking the project one more step beyond Russia's borders.
One thing became clear these past few days: the digital world has no borders, and the questions it raises for kids everywhere are surprisingly the same.
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👍Delegations of the IFY–2026 keep discovering more of Russia — from the federal territory of Sirius to Abkhazia and South Ossetia!
These past few days, participants managed to do it all: a lace museum in Vologda, the "Nikola-Lenivets" art park in Kaluga region, project defenses in Krasnoyarsk, horseback traditions in Karachay-Cherkessia, stroganina dinners with families in Ugra, the GAZ Museum in Nizhny Novgorod, an ice arena in Omsk, theater in Kazan, and Indian dances with grandmothers in Komi.
🇷🇺 Russia and its partner countries win you over at first sight — and their greatest treasure is their people and their hospitality.
Want to see how it all looked? Check out our reel!
And who's this looking so good? 💗
That's you in the photos from IFY–2026!
The festival is over, but thousands of bright shots remain. Find yourself, your friends, and those moments you'll want to relive again and again 🌟
📸 Photo channel
⏭️ All photos on TASS photohost
➡️ And the Festival videos are collected
😀 Found yourself? Send us the photo — let's remember IFY–2026 together!
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After the Festival — new routes, new encounters, and new discoveries on the IFY–2026 regional expedition program ❤️
In Yugra — family dinners and conversations around the same table. In Arkhangelsk Region — Pinezhye and the northern wilderness. In Kaluga Region — space and technology. In Karachay-Cherkessia — horseback traditions and the culture of the Caucasus peoples. In Kalmykia, Vologda Region, Saransk, Omsk Region, and Abkhazia — encounters with local culture and memories worth sharing with the whole world.
💡 Every trip becomes a continuation of the Festival’s story: new friends, shared memories, and places you’ll want to come back to one day!
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IAPEE welcomes 14 new members from 14 countries around the world 🎚️
On September 15, members of the International Association for Political and Electoral Expertise (IAPEE) gathered once again at the International Festival of Youth. Experts, researchers, and public figures from different countries came together to discuss political systems, elections, and international observation.
🌸The meeting closed with a welcoming ceremony for IAPEE’s new members. Representatives from 14 countries joined the Association, bringing new professional and regional perspectives to the international community.
💚 The ceremony was led by Areg Agasaryan, Head of the Center for International Interaction and Cooperation, Deputy Chairman of the Public Council under Rossotrudnichestvo, and member of the IAPEE Governing Council.
For the Association, expanding its membership means bringing together specialists with diverse professional backgrounds and experience, and strengthening international dialogue.
“We ended up in the same place at the same time, and now we have a shared story”☀️
That’s exactly what participants wrote in their videos about the Festival — and honestly, we couldn’t agree more!
❤️ We want to say a huge thank you to every single one of you.
Our team watches and reads every post with so much love, and we can see it — this really came together!
What’s the regional expedition program of the IFY–2026 really like? 🌏
The answer is right in this post! Right now, participants are traveling across Russia’s regions, the federal territory of “Sirius,” as well as Abkhazia and South Ossetia — discovering their history, culture and traditions, and meeting local young people.
And this is just the beginning. Here are the first stops on the map, with the latest updates:
📍Vologda Oblast 13 international participants are getting to know Vologda: visiting the Lace Museum, St. Sophia Cathedral, “Semyonkovo,” Ferapontov Monastery and other landmark sites. The program also includes a traditional doll-making workshop, an ATV expedition, and a meeting with students from Vologda State University.
📍Novgorod Oblast The region has already welcomed its international participants, who are now exploring the history and culture of the Novgorod land.
📍Omsk Oblast 25 young people from 18 countries set off to explore Omsk and its history. The program includes the pedestrian Lyubinsky Avenue, Omsk Fortress, the renovated “Derzhava” globe sculpture, and a trip to “Starina Sibirskaya” in Bolsherechye.
📍Karachay-Cherkessia 29 international guests are discovering the region’s culture, traditions and unique character. They’re meeting with young people and Cossack community representatives, learning about youth policy, and exchanging experiences.
📍Republic of Kalmykia Participants have already been welcomed here, with a full program lined up to introduce them to the region and Russian culture.
From Vologda to Kalmykia, from Siberia to Ugra — it’s one big expedition, helping people see Russia through its people, cities, traditions and real encounters.
🔥Stay tuned — there are even more stories on the way!
Ekaterinburg is saying “See you soon!” in a big way 🥹❤️
Across the city, screens are sharing warm messages from the IFY–2026 participants — including creators from our International Content Center.
Together with our partner MAER, these messages are seeing off the guests who became part of one big family over these unforgettable days.
Keep following us — the Festival may be over, but there are still so many stories, faces and memories we want to share with you ⭐️
AI: a powerful tool or something we’re becoming too dependent on? 👀
At the IFY–2026, young people from different countries joined Sergey Galaktionov for the first-ever “Change My Mind” discussion and challenged each other’s views on AI and our growing dependence on it.
▶️ Watch the video and hear what young people from around the world have to say!
The Festival may be over, but the airport is still singing 🩷
Participants are heading home, and even their last moments in Russia are filled with warmth. Traditional Russian songs are accompanying them on their way, one final, beautiful farewell before their flights 👋
See you again, friends! ✈️
✨The Festival continues — now across the whole country!
1 000 participants of the IFY–2026 have set off on the regional expedition program across 35 regions of Russia, the federal territory of Sirius, as well as Abkhazia and South Ossetia📍
The first routes are already in full swing: in Nizhny Novgorod and Kaluga Region, guests are discovering Russian culture, learning traditional dances, playing folk games — and even met Cheburashka!
⚡️More discoveries, new friendships, and real immersion into Russia are still ahead!
Participants of the IFY–2026 are heading home 🤗
And what do we see? The most genuine smiles, warm hugs, and that bittersweet feeling in the final minute.
In just one week, so much friendship was born here that the miles between countries now feel like nothing.
🗣️ Thank you for being with us. Russia will be waiting for you again!
🌌Already on your way home? Send us your photos in the comments — we want to see your journey!
It seems no one is ready to say goodbye 😭
Volunteers from all across Russia spent this whole week keeping the Festival running: welcoming guests, coordinating, guiding, filming, editing, writing. Strangers to each other on day one, by the end they had become one team.
Thank you for this week❣️
⚡️right now, participants are heading off on their new routes
✈️ Many have already left for the regional programs to explore other cities, dive into local culture and feel Russia beyond Ekaterinburg.
Looks like the festival is ending, but the journey is just getting started!
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