The Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi has ended: 30 thousand young children from all over the world gathered for a week in our country. Lectures, seminars, joint projects. Discussion of the future is about technology, politics, and what society will be like. They developed a shared vision.

But something else is even more important. The Youth Festival is a kind of diplomacy over official structures. Today these guys are studying or just starting to work, and tomorrow, the day after tomorrow they will take serious positions in their countries - in business, in politics. And these guys do not receive instructions from Washington. By at least, now.

There will be trouble without cooperation, said Vladimir Putin in his speech at a meeting of the Valdai Club. Western politicians are captivated by stereotypes. But this youth will destroy stereotypes. These young people understand that justice is needed, huge inequalities must be overcome. We need to work together. Instead of scaring each other.

They were sure that something extraordinary awaited them in Russia. But this turned out to be beyond expectations. The whole week is on a breath! Sochi-2017.

The final point in a marathon of ideas, discoveries, music, sports, cinema, dating and talking about everything in the world. The closing ceremony is like a manifesto of youth: let's take and change this world!

It's getting louder in the stands - this is how this week united them. The closing ceremony is no longer delegations, countries and continents. Everything is confused - there are just a lot of new friends with whom you don't want to part after the hot festival days.

Participants of the festival in a joint photo with the President of Russia. To accommodate everything, they did it on the medal square, from an airship. In super high quality. You can see everyone who has been to the Olympic Park.

“I know that an unusual, absolutely unusual energy reigned at the festival, just as it reigns today on this square. This is the energy of the young! I am sure that when you leave Russia, you will leave a piece of your heart here. But Russia will always remain in your heart. We believe in you! Future starts here and now. Future is you. All the best, dear friends. All the best. Thank you ", - the President of Russia addressed the participants of the Festival.

25 thousand people from 188 countries. If you look for them all on the globe - your head is spinning.

Greetings from Jamaica! I am from India! I'm from Liberia! I come from Libya.

So different, and this is the first surprise of the festival. It seems to be not the middle of the last century, every phone has a whole world for a long time. But it is quite another matter to see it live. And to look into the eyes is a reflection of peoples and civilizations.

“As you know, we have a war going on, but we want to show that it will end soon and everything will be fine with us. We were greeted very warmly. Russia and Syria are friends! " - says the participant of the Festival from Syria Zeyna Nabil Rustum.

It turned out that they had the same experiences inside. The same dreams. How to get through to them, if you get off the ground is a problem - said Australian Nick Vuychich. The writer, philanthropist and speaker worked to break with the audience. They listened to him with a sinking heart, he spoke about what is close to everyone.

“I want to ask you, who are you today and who do you want to become? Go to your goal step by step. If you fall, get up. Don't look for excuses and dream big, even if your parents don't believe in you. Mine thought I was crazy when I said that I want to be a speaker. And today I have traveled all over the world, and I believe that the future belongs to your generation. With the permission of the one sitting next to you, hug him or shake his hand. I want to see love spread throughout the hall! " - said the writer, philanthropist Nick Vuychich.

The stars came to the festival for a frank conversation. What is the strength and who is the hero of our time? The writer Frederic Beigbeder would be an anti-example. The mod, cynic, bon vivant, even spent two days in a Paris prison for drug use. I spoke just about the line between freedom and responsibility.

“When you're 20 is good, you are sensitive. All my deepest emotions I experienced in my youth, until 25. You feel emotions, beauty, sadness, madness, humor, anger. You are young, you are attractive, so don’t waste time - don’t listen to the advice of some French old man, ”says the writer Frederic Beigbeder.

We listened. Reputable experts - in art, sports, science, politics. Ministers and Olympic champions, heads of large corporations and astronauts, nobel laureates, actors ... It would seem, who at the resort would you lure to a lecture ?! But the halls are filled to capacity.

They also received new knowledge about Russia. Not lectures - practice. For the first time at the festival, trips to 15 regions of the country. From Kaliningrad to Vladivostok!

“I was in Siberia, in Krasnoyarsk. It was so great! I was greeted so friendly! " - said Natalie Buckman, a participant of the Festival from Australia.

Superfest - that's what they called it. The air here was saturated with the idea: young people are dear everywhere. Hundreds of projects from volunteering to nuclear energy were presented in Sochi. We have prepared the ground for joint work - building the future. What this world will be like depends on them. Therefore, the president addressed the youth at a seminar on future technologies. With an important note.

“Regardless of what we are doing or will be doing in the future, do you know what it is? This is the moral and ethical component of our business. Anyone. Here's genetic engineering, it's so good. But there is also another component of this process. What does it mean? This means that a person acquires the ability to get into the genetic code, created either by nature, or people with religious views say - by God. Practical consequences which of this can come? This means that it is already possible to imagine this, even not very theoretically, but it is already possible to practically imagine that a person can create a person with given characteristics. It might be a brilliant mathematician, it might be genius musician, but maybe a military one. A man who can fight without fear and without feelings of compassion, regret and pain. And what I have just said may be worse than a nuclear bomb. When we do something and whatever we do, I want to repeat this thought again: we should never forget about the moral, ethical foundations of our business. Everything we do should benefit people, strengthen people, and not destroy them, ”the Russian president stressed.

We talked not only about projects - we shared our impressions.

“It has been a wonderful week for me. But the question is from all of us: how to continue this work? And today with us is one of those people who make decisions, the President of Russia. Mr. President, I really hope that you will hear the voices of the entire festival and I hope that you and your colleagues, leaders of other countries, reflect on the changes that need to be achieved, ”said Fraser Dixon (Canada).

Love has run out of battery in our village!

In fact, they have more than enough energy. And then there's an unexpectedly additional charge of emotions.

In front of me is the president Russian Federation! I do not believe!

Pinch me!

For many, this festival week is really like a waking dream!

Tanzania thanks for the festival, for the forum where young people from all over the world meet!

I want to thank the organizers! First-class world event, young people are gathered here, we are discussing the future.

“This is very important for us, because this is the result we were counting on. We expected young people from all over the world to come. They will communicate with each other, establish direct contacts. They will disperse and take with them the memory that these contacts took place in Russia, they will take away good memories of our country, ”said Vladimir Putin.

After a personal meeting, it is easier to answer the question: who are you, Mr. Putin ?!

“He's like a pop star - so it seemed to me at first. But then I realized that this is a simple person who came to communicate with us, just like us. I think Vladimir Putin is a president who cares about his people. He cares about the world and about cooperation with other countries, ”says Marcio Tavares de Susa, a participant of the Festival from Brazil.

“He is a very intelligent person, perhaps he is the last leader of the free world. He returned Russia to the map of world power, world superpower, to be precise, ”said Bojan Novak, a festival participant from Slovenia.

“Thanks to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for such a platform. He is, indeed, an example for many politicians in the world, he is a patriot of his country, ”said Mohamad Tamirn Ehlas, a participant of the Festival from Afghanistan.

Only without the iron curtain! For this festival, foreigners did not bring jeans and chewing gum, as in 1957. On the contrary, we enjoyed studying our own.

I see the meat, but what's this ...? - Buckwheat! - Buckwheat?

This is my first snow in my life! He's delicious! And delicious too!

This is no longer a thaw - a stormy world stream, and in it Russian youth is like a fish in water. In this whirlpool of events, incredible encounters took place. 60 years later, an Italian and a Russian participant of the 1957 Festival met!

If in their time there was the Internet, you wouldn't have to wait that long. Today, email addresses are exchanged not by postal addresses, but instead of paper photo albums - memories that do not fade over time.

And where without love stories ?! A delegate from Kenya made a marriage proposal right outside the hotel entrance. She said yes.

And someone else has a trip to friends ahead, and not only!

Veronica, come to me in China, in Beijing!

I would like to invite my girlfriend to Zimbabwe. Will you go?

Anything can be.

From Russia with love. This festival preserved the best traditions of the Moscow meetings of 1957 and 1985, but turned the idea of \u200b\u200bthe forum upside down, showing what a global platform the World Festival of Youth and Students can be.

“Since I spent the whole week here at the festival, I had many opportunities to talk with both Russian participants and foreign participants. I understand for sure that they left with such a good charge of optimism and energy. Well, for foreign participants, I am absolutely sure that for 99% of them today they understand differently what Russia is. Guys from different countries talk about what they thought about Russia, primarily due to what their media show and write in the country, and how much what they saw is fundamentally different, "said the first deputy head of the Kremlin administration, head of the organizing committee for preparation and holding in 2017 of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students Sergey Kirienko.

Through years, through distances and through prejudices - this is the meaning of the festival! Farewell is not the bottom line. And only the beginning of their new life line ...

50 thousand participants from 180 countries came to the world festival of youth and students in Russia

On Sunday, the World Festival of Youth and Students started in Sochi. Instead of the announced 20 thousand participants, the organizers expect 50 thousand young people from 180 countries of the world to visit Russia.

The opening ceremony of the festival took place at the Bolshoi Ice Palace. President Vladimir Putin opened the festival and then drank tea with the participants.

"Seven decades ago, the first festival took place. Then the same young guys and girls, like you, were united by the power of dreams, the belief that youth, their sincerity, kindness can melt the ice of mistrust, help rid the world of injustice, wars and conflicts," - said the president. Then the youth proved that “the barriers are powerless in front of true friendship, and the warmth of human communication does not depend on political, national, religious, cultural and any other differences,” he reminded.

The President of Russia called on young people to strive to change the world, to make it better

"Our country is proud that it has already hosted the world youth holiday twice," Putin continued. "Sochi is a city of Olympic brotherhood and hope. Five rings, like the five petals of the festival chamomile, have become a symbol of solidarity on all continents," he said.

“I am convinced that you - young people of different countries, nationalities, religions - are united by common feelings, values \u200b\u200band goals, the desire for freedom, happiness, peace and harmony on the planet, the desire to create, to achieve more,” Putin said. everything in order for you to achieve success. " "The energy and talent of youth have amazing strength. The young generation always brings innovative ideas to the world. You are characterized by experiments, arguments, it is common to disagree with the usual way of things. Dare. Create your future. Strive to change this world, make it better. Everything is in yours. The main thing is to stubbornly go only forward, "the head of state advised.

Good luck! - he wished the youth.

After the opening ceremony, Vladimir Putin met with the rally participants from different countries over a cup of tea. “When you work and live for the benefit of others, it always returns a hundredfold,” the head of state said. “It always helps you, lifts you up, develops you." "I would very much like you to have new ideas that would allow you to move forward," he added. Putin noted that Russia is "a real fusion of cultures, history, religion, living together within a single state." And she was always very tolerant.

Young people from different countries were invited to the meeting. The youngest were born in 1994, the oldest - an environmentalist from India - was born in 1975. "I collect garbage from the ocean," he said. "Before, as a child, I put my hand into the ocean and did not see it: the water was so dirty! .. I want my whole country to be clean," he worried.

We have very warm relations with India. And I have very good relations with the Prime Minister of India ... You will definitely find an ally in his person, ”Putin assured. According to him, it is not always easy to switch to environmentally friendly technologies - not all developing countries have the funds for this. “In addition, we need to force the industry to switch to these new technologies,” the president said. “Ultimately, the future, of course, lies with progress,” concluded the head of state. Putin agreed that plastic in the ocean is a big problem. Here, perhaps, a legal solution is needed, he did not rule out: preferential conditions for cleaning the ocean.

The President has already met the Russian scientist Artyom Oganov. “I thought I would live in the West all my life, the West was kind to me,” he began. But then he came to Russia on mega grants for several months, and so he stayed here, and even became a father with many children. "Colleagues in the West ask how is it in Russia? ... Maybe I should return too?" - he conveyed the conversations. “It's great that you found yourself. It's not so easy,” Putin commented. “Russia is interested in the return of those who really took place and can really work here effectively, not everyone,” he said. “From the point of view of the civilian component, we are interested in all our citizens to come here. But from the point of view of the development of science, we need those who can move it forward. "

They also started talking about geopolitics. Nicolas Charras, a political scientist from France, spoke about prejudices in the West towards Russia. "In the United States, more and more immigrants and the white Christian population are already in the minority. Already less than 50 percent," Putin said. "The world is undergoing very serious global changes." The President urged not to share in national apartments, but to look at how to build a common future.

"We need to stop looking at each other as rivals ... We need to strive to look at each other as partners," said the head of state, speaking with a teacher from the United States, who, I must say, thought in a similar way. “And instead of cooperating, we spend resources on secondary things, on rivalry,” regretfully. “This can be a utopia, of course, - all nature is permeated with the spirit of rivalry and the whole of society, - but, in any case, we must strive so that it does not pass into a hot stage, enmity, and even more so a war,” he concluded.

The President considers it important to preserve the cultural and linguistic unity of the Russian state, which will benefit not only the country itself, but the world as a whole. "Russia is a Eurasian space, but from the point of view of culture, language, history of people living in this territory, it is a European space, it is inhabited by carriers of this culture," Putin explained. "In order for us to remain as a significant center in the world, we need to preserve all this," the president is convinced.

Our country has hosted the festival twice - in 1957 and 1985. But in Soviet times, all events were held exclusively in Moscow. This time the participants were met in 15 regions of Russia - from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok. In Moscow, a carnival procession of 35 thousand Russian and foreign students started on Saturday from Vasilievsky Spusk. Muscovites greeted the multicolored columns, stretching for 8 kilometers along the Kremlin, Prechistenskaya, Frunzenskaya and Luzhnetskaya embankments. On the way, young foreigners confessed to journalists that they had already fallen in love with Moscow and Russia, and they perceive the procession as a bright event in their lives.

In the train-museum of the Novosibirsk metro for the opening of the Sochi festival, they put together an exposition "We live with a dream of peace." On the walls of the car is the entire history of the festival movement for 70 years: photographs, notes, documents, memoirs of participants and other materials dedicated to previous festivals of youth and students.

About 100 people from South America, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia arrived in Rostov-on-Don for the festival. Among them are teachers, engineers, doctors, educators and even the prince of Bahrain - Ahmed Ali Abdullah Mohammed Ali.

During the flight from Moscow, a cardiologist surgeon from Tajikistan Khayem Makhmudov distinguished himself by providing first aid to an unconscious elderly passenger who became ill during the flight, and the flight attendants hesitated. Then a young doctor came to the rescue.

Festival participants visited 15 regions of Russia - from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok

"The patient has diabetes mellitus. I assume that his blood sugar level dropped, because of this, the pressure dropped sharply. The flight attendants and I provided the passenger with first aid, brought him to consciousness, stabilized the pressure and then provided psychological support until the landing." - said Hayem.

50 young people from Germany, Indonesia, Great Britain, Australia and other countries arrived in Sevastopol to participate in the regional program of the festival of youth and students. Most of them are for the first time in Russia. "We hear a lot of different stories about Crimea and Russia from the mass media," James Wark from British Newcastle, a Cambridge student, a future engineer, told RG. "But I know that the points of view of Russia and the West are different, so I came to see everything with my own eyes. I really like Crimea, I feel protected. People here are nice, friendly. "

"I was very surprised by this beautiful city by the sea, with a rich history, says Emilie Emiro, a student from Paris. - I see people living here peacefully, I do not feel the conflict. There are absolutely no negative things about Crimea in France. "

From 14 to 22 October, the World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS) will be held in Russia. The procession of delegates will take place in the capital, the opening and most of the events will take place in Sochi. The congress will bring together 25 thousand young people from all over the planet, its main goal is to establish mutual understanding between representatives of different cultures and religions. According to preliminary estimates, representatives of 150 countries will take part in the event, and 8 thousand volunteers will provide its holding.

Sochi - the capital of the festival in 2017

Russia received the right to host the festival in May 2016. The RF application was the only one that was unanimously approved by the preparatory committee of the festival, which met in Caracas (Venezuela). Vladimir Putin personally proposed to hold the WFMS in Russia. After submitting the application, he discussed the goals and content of the festival with representatives of the youth associations that will organize it.

The head of state stressed that during international events, Russia should show its best sides and success, to demonstrate the desire for international cooperation and the development of the youth movement. The festival will open with the Student Parade, which will take place on October 14 on Red Square. The festivities will continue on Vorobyovy Gory, from where you can see the main building of Moscow State University - a symbol of Russian students.

Further events will take place in. After the 2014 Olympics, the resort has an international level infrastructure that allows you to host large-scale events at no extra cost. The participants of the festival will settle in the hotels of the Olympic Village. Exhibitions, lectures, concerts will also be held here. The Rosa Khutor ski resort, located half an hour's drive from Sochi, will become a venue for sports events.

Program of events

The festival is dedicated to topics relevant to young people:

• Culture and globalization ( cultural heritage nations, communication of representatives of different cultures, creativity);
• Economy, development;
• Knowledge Economy (education, new technologies, ideas and discoveries);
• Public sector, charity and volunteering;
• Politics and security.

The festival will include art and scientific exhibitions, open lectures, creative master classes. Russian culture will be presented by a jazz concert, ballet or ice show, film screenings and circus performances... The sports program includes a cycling marathon, competitions in game and extreme sports. The exact timetable for the events will follow the second preparatory meeting on October 30 in Namibia.

The main part of the 2017 Festival will be held in Sochi and

Festival ambassadors

The event was supported by personalities known in Russia and abroad:

• Yana Churikova - TV presenter and journalist.
• Irina Slutskaya - champion in figure skating.
• Edgard Zapashny - People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Director of the Moscow Circus.
• Elena Slesarenko - champion in high jump.
• Ahmad Alhendawi - Representative of the UN Secretary General for Youth Affairs.

How to get to the festival?

To become a participant in the event, you need to meet a number of requirements:

• Your age is 18-35 years old;
• You have a hobby and an active life position;
• You respect your country and the international community.

The last requirement is to belong to one of the groups of active youth:

1. Heads of youth non-profit organizations or political parties;
2. Media workers, artists, writers, filmmakers, etc .;
3. Organizers of sports sections;
4. Engineers;
5. University lecturers, researchers, members of student government;
6. Entrepreneurs;
7. Foreigners interested in Russian language and culture.

Flyer inviting to participate in the world youth festival

Participants will be able to live and eat for free in the Olympic Village, as well as attend all festival events. Foreigners will enter Russia without a visa. If you meet the requirements and wish to participate in the festival, fill out the form at russia2017.com/#/members. Then candidates will undergo correspondence and face-to-face interviews.

How do I become a volunteer?

Another way to get to the festival is volunteering (free organizational work). Volunteers can be active Russians over 18 years old who own foreign language and want to try their hand at one of the areas of work:

• Transport logistics
• Holding and servicing events, including the parade in Moscow
• Festival medical support
• Meeting and escorting foreign delegations
• Working with journalists
• Working with volunteers
• Organization of meals and accommodation for participants
• Translation for staff and delegates of the festival
• Creation of a solemn atmosphere in Sochi ("city volunteers")

The recruitment of volunteers will begin in October 2016. Everyone should fill out a form on the website. The best applicants will undergo face-to-face or online interviews, followed by training at centers that will open across the country. Participation in the festival will give volunteers an unforgettable experience and new acquaintances. "Silver Volunteers" - experienced volunteers who worked at international conventions during the Soviet era, will be involved in organizing the events.

Festival organizers

The main organizer of the event is the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY). It includes domestic left-wing youth organizations:

• Russian Komsomol (RKSM)
• Lenin Communist Youth Union (LKSM RF)
• Youth Union "Fair Force"

The application for the festival was supported by the Russian Youth Union and the National Council of Youth and Children's Associations. The chairman of the latter department, Grigory Petushkov, headed the National Preparatory Committee for the event. According to the rector of Moscow State University Viktor Sadovnichy, Russian students will play an important role in organizing the festival. He invited the leadership to involve students in the activities.

Preparing for the festival

Events timed to coincide with the festival are in full swing. On October 12, 2016, a meeting of the festival ambassadors was held in Moscow. On October 10-13, participants of the Russia - Country of Sports forum covered the 2017-meter distance in honor of the festival. On October 14, the youth celebrated the year before it began with a concert on Vorobyovy Gory. VFMS will become the leading theme of the Vkontakte festival, which will take place in St. Petersburg in the summer of 2017. In Russia will appear stamps and a commemorative coin dedicated to the student event.

Festival history

The World Festival of Youth and Students is a congress of youth associations of the "left" (socialist or communist) orientation. It was first held in 1947 in the Czech capital under the leadership of youth democratic and student organizations. The slogan of the event was: "For peace and friendship."

Russia hosted the Festival of Youth and Students back in Soviet times

In the first decades of its existence, the festival was held every two years. He gathered representatives of communist, socialist and anti-fascist youth associations. Among the participants were members of radical movements, some of whom were banned in their countries. The leading themes of the festival were international cooperation and the fight against fascism.

The organizers of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students, which will take place in Russia in October, plan to approve the lists of Russian participants during August. This was stated on Tuesday at the forum "Territory of Meanings" by the chairman of the National Preparatory Committee of the festival Grigory Petushkov .

Participants of the 137th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as well as the Ministers of Happiness of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to the World Festival of Youth and Students, the head of the presidential department for public projects, head of the working group of the organizing committee of the festival for the development and organization of scientific, educational and discussion programs Sergey Novikov .

“In the United Arab Emirates and Qatar there is a position that is called that: Minister of Happiness. By the way, we invited them to the festival and we hope that they will come, ”said Sergei Novikov, addressing the forum participants.

Sergei Novikov also noted that the main motto for young people at the festival is "Russia is a country of opportunities," and the festival program should be interesting to the maximum number of people.

As previously reported IA REGNUM, The World Festival of Youth and Students will be held in Russia from 14 to 22 October 2017. On the first day, an international student carnival parade will take place in Moscow, and the main events will be held in the Sochi Olympic Park from 15 to 22 October.

More than 20 thousand young people will take part in the forum, including representatives of various public organizations, teachers and politicians, while half of all participants will be foreigners. Applications for participation in the festival were received from almost 190 countries of the world.

As the organizers emphasize, the festival is intended to consolidate the youth world community around the idea of \u200b\u200bjustice, to strengthen international ties, as well as to "develop interethnic and intercultural interaction."

Only a few hours are left until the moment when Russia will solemnly open its doors to 20,000 participants from all over the world: International festival Sochi Youth and Students 2017 will begin on October 14, 2017.

According to the organizers, it will be one of the largest in the history of the festival and unique, as it will take place outside the capital, but at the same time it will capture the entire country.

President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth N. Papadimitriu

At the conference at the TASS press center, a rich program of events was announced, the purpose of which is to establish mutual understanding between representatives of different cultures and religions. During the week, young people from 150 countries of the world will exchange experience and imbued with Russian culture.

What is the festival

70 years ago in the Czech capital, a congress of leaders of youth organizations with a socialist or communist orientation was organized for the first time, and was held under the slogan "For Peace and Friendship", to which another term was later added - "imperialist solidarity." In the 21st century, the organizers of each subsequent event choose a new slogan at the preparatory meeting. This year it reads as follows: "For peace, solidarity and social justice, we are fighting against imperialism - respecting our past, we are building our future!"

For Russia, this is the third festival of youth and students. In 1957, Moscow gathered 34 thousand participants - a record number in history.

It was then that Soviet students got acquainted with rock and roll, jeans and Western values, which impressed young Soviet people so much that at a subsequent event in 1985, the authorities made every effort to limit the communication of our citizens with foreigners.

In 2017, the organizers tried to think over the event plan of the festival in such a way that young journalists, athletes, engineers, entrepreneurs, representatives of the creative sphere and programmers, scientists, teachers, as well as leaders of youth organizations and political parties spend their time as efficiently and interestingly as possible, sharing useful experience ... Numerous discussions and seminars, concerts, sports competitions, and, of course, large-scale festivities await students.

Sochi is beyond competition

In May 2016, in Caracas (Venezuela), at the vote of the festival preparatory committee, the decision was unanimously approved to hold the 2017 forum in sunny and hospitable Sochi, since after the 2014 Olympics the city has all the necessary infrastructure corresponding to the scale of the event, which will significantly save organizational costs. The host side is confident that Sochi will pleasantly surprise the participants and leave an indelible impression on their memory.

Guests will be accommodated in hotels in the Olympic Village. It will also host concerts, exhibitions and lectures. As for sports events, the Rosa Khutor ski resort (Mountain Cluster) will be used for their implementation.

Goals and topics of the festival

This year's event aims to consolidate the youth of the whole world, strengthen existing international ties and do everything possible for the further development of intercultural and interethnic interaction of the participating countries.

The festival is intended to work out the image of the future of people and the world and try to find answers to the most acute challenges facing the representatives of the modern young generation.

The aim of the festival is to increase interest in Russia, as well as to preserve the common memory and history with it.

The themes of the festival are carefully thought out

• culture and globalization (cultural heritage of the nation, communication between representatives of different cultures, creativity)
• economy and development of small and medium business
• knowledge economy: education, new technologies, ideas and discoveries
• public sector, charity and volunteering
• politics and security

TV presenter and journalist Yana Churikova, figure skating champion Irina Slutskaya, director of the Moscow circus and People's Artist of the Russian Federation Edgar Zapashny, champion in high jump Elena Slesarenko and UN Secretary General for Youth Affairs Ahmad Alhendavi were chosen as ambassadors for the 2017 Youth and Student Festival.

Anthem and talisman

You can feel the spirit of the 19th World Festival of Young Leaders even before its opening: the anthem of the 2017 event has been officially published on the network. The composition was created and performed by the singer, actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador Alexei Vorobyov.

Listen to the festival anthem.

Especially for the flash mob at the festival, the song was arranged by the Swedish musician and producer RedOne, who has two Grammy awards in his piggy bank, who has successfully collaborated with a number of world-famous stars (Michael Jackson, Enrique Iglesias, Rod Stewart, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, U2 and others) and wrote the 2014 FIFA World Cup anthem. The main composition of the festival sounds in Russian and english and maximally conveys the meaning and ideas of the international forum: the ideals of peace, love, friendship and international solidarity.

The mascot for the festival was chosen through an open international vote, which was attended by about one hundred thousand people. The greatest number of votes was received by an unusual trinity: the robot Camomile, the ferret Shurik and the polar bear Mishan. The creator of the latter, a designer from Volgodonsk, Sergey Petrenko, decided that just such a character, dressed in a traditional red blouse and with a flower behind his ear, would be able to fully convey the scale of the holiday and a positive atmosphere that simply cannot be different in Sochi.

The volunteers have not been forgotten either - they have their own anthem and great shape!

Listen to the anthem of the festival volunteers

Equipment

Just a week ago, the official uniform of the Sochi Youth Festival, developed by the famous Russian designer Igor Chapurin, was presented in Zaryadye Park.

The presentation turned out to be a real holiday!

The outfit for participants, volunteers, organizers and guests is made in the official colors of the festival, so it turned out to be bright and beautiful. Nice and important details on each kit are waterproof zippers, logos, embroidery and appliqués made using the latest technology in the garment industry.

The sets were appreciated and perfectly demonstrated by journalist Alla Mikheeva, TV presenter Aurora, actresses Ekaterina Varnava and Nadezhda Sysoeva, singer Mitya Fomin and other famous personalities.

15 main words

15 is the number of regions from which the participants will arrive. It is just so many images that personify Russia that they will take home and remember with warmth. A specially prepared video presentation will help those who do not speak Russian to learn a little better, and perhaps even understand the Russian soul.

These 15 words are:

Welcome

Meetings with speakers, as well as discussions will take place in the main Media Center. In addition, a youth expo center will operate in the building. It is assumed that it will become a platform for the start of fruitful international cooperation of young people from different countries. The building is equipped with sites for film festivals, photo exhibitions and press conferences.

The World Youth Symphony Orchestra will be accommodated in the Adler Arena, where both rehearsals and a grandiose concert by a unique team created specifically for the festival will take place.

Spaces have been prepared for dancers and theater-goers in the Ice Cube, which will also house a mini-football field. Sports slot machines will be located on the site of the skate park and the track "Fomula-1". Participants will have a lot of activities at other sites:

• olympic Park sites
• Green theater of the Riviera park
• Winter theater
• concert hall "Festival"
• Southern pier and Sochi circus

Sochi Youth Festival: action plan

The start of the festival week is scheduled for October 14 in Moscow, where a solemn meeting of guests and a grandiose carnival parade will take place.

The opening ceremony will take place on October 15 in Sochi. A special feature is the idea of \u200b\u200bthe organizers to build a ceremony around history real peoplewho are trying with all their might to change the world for the better, for example, Afroz Shah from India, who cleared the beaches of Mumbai from five tons of garbage, or the Russian Roman Gek, who built a school in Nepal, and many others.

A discussion program will be implemented from the first day

• October 15 - First educational day
• October 16 - America Day. On this day, the guests of the event have a unique opportunity to participate in a discussion on the topic “ World culture: global challenges ”, listen to one of the most famous contemporary writers Frederic Begbeder, and ask questions to the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky.
• October 17 - Africa Day
• October 18 - Middle East Day
• October 19 - Day of Asia and Oceania
• October 20 - Europe Day
• October 21 - Day of Russia

Cultural events plan

• October 16 - Jazz Festival
• October 17 - International New Music Festival
• October 18 - State Orchestra "New Russia" with Diana Arbenina
• October 19 - Festival of National Cultures
• October 20 - Concert of the World Youth symphony orchestra, Gala Concert classical music and ballet
• October 21 - Day of Russia

Sport program

• October 15 - Opening of the site "World TRP"
• October 16 - 2017 meters festival run, opening of the "Dancing Planet"
• October 17 - Rope-skipping show, Workout camp alumni tournament
• October 18 - Show of stars "Eco Race", session simultaneous play on 30 boards blindly
• October 19 - Final contests in extreme sports
• October 20 - Football freestyle team performance, TRP race, mini-football tournament final

Scientific and educational thematic areas will be implemented through the organization of speeches by more than 700 speakers. One of the brightest guests will be motivational speaker Nick Vuychich.

The regional program assumes that the participants of the festival will visit 15 regions of Russia from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, where discussions of various thematic focus will also take place.

The closing ceremony took place on 21 October. The program culminated in the participants' message “Let's change the world”. The highlight of the music program is the Dutch singer Rochelle Perts, winner of the X-Factor music competition.

Online broadcast of the closing of the festival

The Sochi Youth Forum will bring together young and ambitious leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 to once again prove to the world that friendship, love and creativity can make our planet and the future of people better.

Dates of the festival of youth and students in Sochi 2017: from 14 to 21 October 2017.

The article uses materials and photos from the sites:
Official website of the event: http://russia2017.com
PhotoBank WFMS 2017: http://wfys2017.tassphoto.com
Official group VKontakte.