19th world festival. XIX World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi

Information about the festival:

The World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS) is an irregular festival of left-wing youth organizations that has been held since 1947. Organizers are the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFYD) and the International Union of Students (ISU). In the 50s and early 60s, festivals were held under the slogan “For peace and friendship”, later - “For anti-imperialist solidarity, peace and friendship”.

Since 2001, each subsequent Festival has a new slogan, which is traditionally approved at the first international preparatory meeting for the upcoming Festival. The slogan of the WFMS 2017: “For peace, solidarity and social justice, we fight against imperialism - by respecting our past, we are building our future!”

To prepare for the festival, an International Preparatory Committee and national preparatory committees are being created in the participating countries. The festival program includes sports competitions in various sports, political seminars and discussions, concerts, mass celebrations, as well as the obligatory colorful procession of delegations.

Event information:

From October 14 to October 21, 2017, the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students will take place in Russia.

The “World Festival of Youth and Students 2017” will be held in Olympic Sochi, and the ceremonial parade of delegations will be held in Moscow.

More than 20,000 young people from 150 countries aged 18 to 35 will participate in the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students 2017. Young leaders from different fields will gather on one platform: representatives of youth public organizations, young journalists, creative and sports youth, young engineers and IT specialists, leaders of youth organizations of political parties, young entrepreneurs, student government leaders, young scientists and university teachers, and also compatriots and foreigners studying the Russian language and interested in Russian culture.

Registration for the festival of youth and students

Every interested young person can register for the festival of youth and students 2017 on the official website of the festival - russia2017.com. As of October 1, 2016, more than 1,000 young people had already applied to participate in the festival.

On October 1, the international stage of recruiting participants started on the English version of the festival website. Citizens of most countries in the world will be able to apply for participation. In addition to Russian and English, the official website of the festival of youth and students will soon be available in all working languages ​​of the festival: Spanish, French, Chinese and Arabic. Thus, the audience of the entire planet will be able to familiarize themselves not only with the program of the festival of youth and students 2017, but also get information about the history of the festival movement, learn more about the host country and, of course, stay up to date with all the current news.

Foreign participants of the festival will be provided with visa-free entry into Russia.

Who can become a participant

A young man aged 18 to 35 years old, who has an active life position, has a hobby, respects the interests of his country, considers himself part of the world community and belongs to one of the categories of participants:

1. youth NGO leaders
2. young journalists
3. creative youth (musicians, writers, artists, directors, etc.)
4. sports club leaders
5. young engineers
6. leaders of youth organizations of political parties
7. young university teachers
8. student government leaders
9. young scientists (social sciences, humanities and economics, natural sciences, technical sciences)
10. young entrepreneurs
11. foreigners studying Russian and interested in Russian culture

What awaits participants

• visa-free entry into Russia for foreign participants
• a unique educational and discussion program with the participation of world-class professionals
• real applied skills in workshops and creative workshops
• variety of facets of Russian culture: ballet, ice show, film festival, jazz festival, circus performance
• Life-style program: street dancing, healthy lifestyle, jogging, passing GTO standards, extreme park, musical subcultures
• meeting like-minded people and colleagues from 150 countries
• participation in a grandiose youth event of international scale

And also - at the expense of the receiving party:

• nutrition
• hotel accommodation
• access to all educational, cultural and sports venues

The purpose of the festival of youth and students

The future festival in Sochi is designed to increase interest in Russia and show its best sides.

Main news of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students - preparation for the festival

On April 28, the popular vote to choose the mascot of the festival of youth and students ended. About one hundred thousand users from different countries took part in the open vote. As a result, the winning entries were the robot “Romashka”, the ferret Shurik and “Mishanya”! Very soon we will introduce you to the authors and learn everything about the talismans.

On October 14, 2016, celebratory events were held in Moscow, Sochi and other cities of Russia to coincide with the launch of the countdown - One Year to the World Festival of Youth and Students 2017. On December 14, 2016, the capital hosted a forum of student associations "Moscow Students" entitled "Towards the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students."

On January 19, 2017, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin signed the Decree “On the preparation and holding of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students.” The Organizing Committee of #WFMS2017 was formed by decree. First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation Sergei Kiriyenko was appointed its Chairman.

On January 30 and 31, 2017, a presentation of the upcoming XIX World Festival of Youth and Students took place in New York as part of the Youth Forum of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which opened at the UN headquarters. The Russian delegation was led by the head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, Alexey Palamarchuk. During his speech, he invited forum participants to take part in thematic side events on the fields

There are only a few hours left until Russia solemnly opens its doors to 20,000 participants from all over the world: the Sochi International Festival of 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, since it will take place outside the capital, but will also capture the entire country.

President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth N. Papadimitriou

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 will exchange experiences and become imbued with Russian culture.

What is the festival

70 years ago, in the capital of the Czech Republic, 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 component was later added - “imperialist solidarity.” In the 21st century, the organizers of each subsequent event choose a new motto at the preparatory meeting. This year it sounds like this: “For peace, solidarity and social justice, we fight against imperialism - by respecting our past, we are building our future!”

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

It was then that Soviet students were introduced to rock and roll, jeans and Western values, which so impressed young Soviet people 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 through the festival’s event plan in such a way that young journalists, athletes, engineers, entrepreneurs, representatives of the creative field and programmers, scientists, teachers, as well as leaders of youth organizations and political parties had the most effective and interesting time sharing useful experience . Students can expect numerous discussions and seminars, concerts, sports competitions, and, of course, large-scale celebrations.

Sochi - beyond competition

In May 2016, in Caracas (Venezuela), at a vote of the festival’s 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 help significantly save organizational costs. The host party is confident that Sochi will pleasantly surprise the participants and leave an indelible impression in their memory.

Guests will be accommodated in hotels in the Olympic Village. Concerts, exhibitions and lectures will also be organized there. As for sporting events, the Rosa Khutor ski resort (Mountain Cluster) will be used for their holding.

Goals and themes of the festival

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

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

The purpose of the festival is to increase interest in Russia, as well as 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)
• economics and development of small and medium-sized businesses
• 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, high jump champion Elena Slesarenko and representative of the UN Secretary General for Youth Akhmad Alhendawi were chosen as ambassadors of the 2017 Youth and Student Festival.

Anthem and mascot

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

Listen to the festival anthem.

Especially for the flash mob as part of the festival, the song was arranged by the Swedish musician and producer RedOne, who has two Grammy awards to his name and 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 anthem of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The main composition of the festival sounds in Russian and English and conveys as much as possible 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, in which about one hundred thousand people took part. An unusual trio received the largest number of votes: the robot Romashka, the ferret Shurik and the polar bear Mishanya. The creator of the latter, designer from Volgodonsk Sergei 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 the positive atmosphere, which simply cannot be different in Sochi.

The volunteers have not been forgotten either - they have their own anthem and excellent uniform!

Listen to the anthem of the festival volunteers

Equipment

Just a week ago, the official uniform of the youth festival in Sochi, designed by the famous Russian designer Igor Chapurin, was presented in Zaryadye Park.

The presentation turned out to be a real holiday!

The equipment for participants, volunteers, organizers and guests was made in the official colors of the festival, so it turned out bright and beautiful. Nice and important details on each kit include waterproof zippers, logos, embroidery and appliqués made using the latest technology in the clothing industry.

The sets were highly 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 participants will arrive. This is exactly how many images that personify Russia they will take home and remember with warmth. A specially prepared video presentation will help those who do not speak Russian learn a little better, and perhaps even understand the Russian soul.

These are the 15 words:

Welcome

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

The World Youth Symphony Orchestra will be located in the Adler Arena, where both rehearsals and a grand concert of a unique ensemble created specifically for the festival will take place.

Spaces have been prepared for dancers and theatergoers in the Ice Cube, where there will also be a mini-football field. Sports slot machines will be located on the site of the skate park and the Formula 1 track. Participants will enjoy many activities at other sites:

• Olympic Park sites
• Green Theater of Riviera Park
• Winter Theater
• Concert Hall "Festival"
• Southern Pier and Sochi Circus

Youth Festival in Sochi: plan of events

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

The opening ceremony will take place on October 15 in Sochi. A special feature is the idea of ​​the organizers to build the ceremony around the story of real people who 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 of 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 is America Day. On this day, 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 Beigbeder, and also ask questions to the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky.
• October 17 – Africa Day
• October 18 – Middle East Day
• October 19 – Asia and Oceania Day
• October 20 – Europe Day
• October 21 – Russia Day

Cultural events plan

• October 16 – Jazz Festival
• October 17 – International Festival of New Music
• 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 of classical music and ballet
• October 21 – Russia Day

Sport program

• October 15 – Opening of the “World GTO” site
• October 16 – Festival race for 2017 meters, opening of the “Dancing Planet”
• October 17 – Rope skipping show, tournament among Workout camp graduates
• October 18 – Star Show “Eco Race”, a session of simultaneous blind play on 30 boards
• October 19 – Final competitions in extreme sports
• October 20 – Football freestyle team performance, GTO 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 most prominent guests will be motivational speaker Nick Vujicic.

The regional program involves festival participants visiting 15 regions of Russia from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, where discussions of various thematic areas will also be held.

The closing ceremony took place on October 21. The culmination of the program was the message “Let's change the world” compiled by the participants. The highlight of the musical program is the Dutch singer Rochelle Peerts, winner of the X Factor music competition.

Online broadcast of the festival closing

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

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

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

Russian-Kazakh deaf youth

With Christophe

Each participant went to the festival in his own direction, and there were a lot of directions:
. The future of science and global education
. Designing the Future: Architecture and Design
. Future technologies
. Ecology and health
. New media
. Civic Development Platform
. International cultural space
. Economics for future development
. Global politics and its agenda: how to protect the world
. Industries of the future
. Aviation of the future
. The global rail network: bringing the future closer
The festival venues were the Olympic Park and various objects. Every day there were lectures, panel discussions, master classes, business games, sports and art, music, dance, literature, cinema. It is noteworthy that a festival participant could visit any venue, even not in his field; in this regard, the participants were given freedom.
The festival was attended by various star speakers, for example: Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, Commissioner for Children's Rights of the Russian Federation Anna Kuznetsova, head of the LDPR faction Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Veronika Skvortsova, Australian motivational speaker with the absence of four limbs Nick Vujicic, French writer Frederic Beigbeder , actor Sergei Bezrukov, athletes Elena Isinbaeva, Alexander Karelin, Sergei Karyakin... and many others who explained, taught and inspired us!

Nick Vujicic

Unfortunately, for us, deaf participants, there were no professional Russian Sign Language interpreters, and for Christophe - an International Sign Language interpreter. They provided only two volunteers who knew only a little sign language and, accordingly, complex topics and terminology were not translated as desired. Because of this, there was a shortage and distortion of information; we did not receive it fully, because there were many sites, the deaf dispersed, volunteers were not always with us, and in the end we had to get out ourselves. It’s good that Vera Samsonova and Anna Prokhorenko were hard of hearing, and at some sites they were able to translate themselves.

Vera Samsonova translates for Maxim Barsukov

In the first days of the festival, so many people came, even more than planned, so not everyone had enough equipment. Participants were given polo T-shirts, sweatshirts, vests, caps, bags, Irbis smartphones with festival symbols and gift boxes containing diaries, pens, colored pencils and, most importantly, a badge for participating in the World Festival of Youth and Students. They also gave out free tickets to attractions at Sochi Park, known as the best amusement park in Russia.

Participant's equipment and kit

It was not so easy to get to the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival. Since Russia was the host country, most of the tickets were given to foreign participants and guests. As a result, not all Russian participants were able to attend the ceremony; each delegation was allocated a certain number of tickets. And then they were distributed - sometimes by drawing lots, sometimes through selection according to their own internal criteria.
The opening ceremony was designed as a theatrical performance with show elements, with thematic designation of pressing problem areas in the world: ecology, poverty, education, energy, information, science. Russian President Vladimir Putin also made a welcoming speech and announced the opening of the festival. And at the closing ceremony, the main characters of the closing ceremony were the participants, volunteers of the festival and music - as one of the main elements that unites people around the world.

The opening ceremony

Each day at the festival was dedicated to certain continents and countries. For example, October 15 was Middle East Day, October 16 was America's Day, October 17 was Africa Day, October 19 was Asia and Oceania Day, and October 20 was Europe Day. And finally, October 21 is Russia Day. On each of these days, the history, politics, art, and culture of those countries located on the selected continents were studied. Literally in the corridors of the huge media center they sang songs, danced, played games and did much more, thereby showing the unity and friendship of peoples.
Despite the fact that there were disadvantages, we all received a lot of impressions from the festival. We gained some experience, new acquaintances (mere communication with Christophe from Jamaica was worth it, and he is also a deaf lawyer in his country), new ideas, emotions, motivation and inspiration! I would like to thank all the organizers of such a cool festival, all the volunteers, speakers, participants and deaf friends who were with us for 10 days! Without all of you, such an unforgettable festival would not have taken place!

Becoming a participant in the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students is an honorable mission. We have already made history for at least the first twenty years of the 21st century! And perhaps as the first deaf participants to participate in such a festival. Of course, we are all proud to have attended this large-scale event. We also went there with the goal of being an example for other deaf people. We wanted to try it for ourselves and show that it is possible for deaf people to attend such international festivals among hearing people, if only they had a strong desire!
We want and encourage deaf youth to apply and participate in various hearing forums and festivals! So that there are more of us deaf people there, so that everyone can see us - and know that our youth are also active and strong in their work. Because it is at events among the hearing people that you can see and gain much more knowledge, experience and connections that can help you in your future activities. There is no need to be shy about such events, you need to get out of your comfort zone and go against everything! And then the deaf will be equal to everyone else, because together we are strong!
Festival, you are forever in our hearts!

Vera Samsonova,
Head of Smolensk Youth of the Deaf

October 13, section: News / Events Poster, views 64637

October 14 - 22, 2017

A stage for a cultural program will be installed at Medals Plaza Olympic Square. The Main Media Center will host participants in the scientific, educational and business program; a youth expo center will also be set up here, and exhibitions and film screenings will be held.
The Adler Arena will become a stage for participants of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, and a dance academy will open in the Ice Cube. Sports tournaments will be held on the Sochi Autodrom track. All festival participants will be accommodated in hotels in the Imereti region. The festival organizers have booked rooms to accommodate more than 20 thousand guests.

WFMS NEWS:

23.10.17

21.10.17
Closing ceremony of the Festival of Youth and Students
On October 21, the closing ceremony of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students took place. In fact, it consisted of two parts: first, the grand show “Russia” took place at Medals Plaza, introducing those gathered to the cultural diversity of the peoples inhabiting our country, and then the final performance took place at the Bolshoi Ice Palace, the main characters of which were the forum participants themselves. .

Vladimir Putin greeted those gathered at the Rossiya show. The President of the Russian Federation expressed hope that the festival week would benefit almost 30 thousand young people from all over the world. “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,” he said. The head of state also noted the unusual energy of the festival, calling it “the energy of the young,” and thanked everyone who came to it. Concluding his speech, Vladimir Putin switched to English: “Future starts here and now the future is you. All the best! (“The future begins here, and now the future is you. I wish you all the best!”). Then, amid chants of “thank you,” the President of Russia took a group photo with the participants of the celebration.

The leitmotif of the show “Russia” was the acquaintance of the participants of the WFMS 2017 with the folk art of the host country of the festival - from Kamchatka to Kaliningrad. The most colorful groups of the country gathered at Medals Plaza, representing eight federal districts of the country. The presentation of the regions was stylized as a photo application on a computer, queries in an Internet search engine, videos on YouTube video hosting, posts on social networks Instagram and Twitter and symbolized the fact that Russia lives in an age of high technology, but does not forget about its roots.

Together with the creative teams, the audience experienced a unique journey across Russia. The ensemble “Red Beads” from Khabarovsk and “Koritev” from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the famous “Buranovskie Babushki” from the Volga region, the Russian Folk Choir named after. E. Popova and the dance ensemble "Rosinka", representing Central Russia, the drummer show "Extravaganza", embodying the traditions of the north-west of the country, beatboxer Eric Grigoryan and his team of drummers from the Ural Federal District, artists of the Chechen state ensemble "Vainakh" and the dance ensemble " Naltsuk" from Kabardino-Balkaria, who presented the North Caucasus, "Storytellers of Altai" and the Kuban Cossack Choir, which conveyed to the public all the flavor of the Southern Federal District. Honored Artist of Russia Zara summed up the musical costumed journey around the country with the song “My dear country is wide.” After this, the concert participants wished the audience to personally get acquainted with the geographical and cultural diversity of our country.

The “Russia” show was followed by the culmination of the evening and the entire Festival of Youth and Students. The closing ceremony called “Awakening” took place at the Bolshoi Ice Palace.

The President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, Nicholas Papadimitriou, addressed the audience from the stage. “During these days we had the opportunity to learn lessons. During these days, progressive youth participated in a discussion program and events, exchanged experiences, beliefs and ideas. The success of the festival is not reflected in figures and facts - it can only be reflected in the meanings that young people can convey from Russia and from the festival to their countries,” said Papadimitriou. He also separately thanked the Russians, the organizers and Vladimir Putin personally for the work done.

The main characters of the closing ceremony were the festival participants and... music - as one of the main elements that unites people around the world. That is why, starting from the first seconds of the ceremony, a huge rock orchestra appeared on stage under the direction of Alexander and Nikita Pozdnyakov, consisting of festival participants. During the show, he performed world-famous hits in rock arrangements.

At the same time, the audience was also involved in this huge musical flash mob. The lyrics of the songs were displayed on the board, and the whole audience sang along to them. In addition, various tasks were displayed on the screens: people were asked to make a wave, freeze like a mannequin in a certain position, and also hug or kiss the person sitting next to them.

And yet, the main characters of the ceremony were the festival participants, who took turns on stage, read poetry and uttered warm and sincere words addressed to the guests, friends and festival organizers. “I feel that each of the participants wants to change the world for the better and achieve equality in the world. At this festival, I felt the unity, solidarity and kindness of young people from all over the world. We can say that youth made this festival for youth,” one of the participants of WFYS 2017, Enrique Dominguez from Brazil, addressed the audience. This is the youngest man who lost his sneakers at the festival. They were looked for literally by the whole world, presented at WFMS 2017, but were never found. However, a surprise awaited Enrique at the closing ceremony.

“During the week of the festival, we had one unpleasant story: Enrique, who had just performed on this stage, lost his sneakers. Everyone helped him look for them... Of course, we couldn’t let him leave the festival and are giving him a gift,” said Ksenia Razuvaeva, head of the Directorate for the preparation and holding of the festival, and handed the guest from Brazil a bag with new white sneakers.

Ksenia Razuvaeva also noted that UN volunteers took part in organizing the festival for the first time in the history of the movement. One of them, Shreya Bose from India, took the stage during the closing ceremony. “As one of five thousand Volunteers of the World, I can say with confidence that each of us put a piece of our soul into the work that we did together. It didn’t matter what role each of us played, everyone worried and rejoiced with you! We shared a variety of moments with you and are glad that we were able to benefit such a grand event,” she said.

The closing ceremony once again emphasized that if a person has a goal and a dream, then nothing will stop them from realizing them. At one point in the evening, WFYS 2017 participant from Chad Ndolegulum Jasrabe Hervé appeared on stage and performed the unofficial anthem of the festival. “The problem of modern technologies is acute in Chad; they are practically not integrated into life in the country. Therefore, young people often feel lonely and abandoned, and I decided to write this song so that people around the world will pay attention to us and perhaps support us. I was born into a poor family and set myself the goal of doing well in school because it was the only way for me to succeed and support my family,” Hervé said from the stage. Performing a song at the closing ceremony of the festival was Ndolegulum Jasrabe Hervé's dream, and now that dream has come true.

The closing ceremony ended with a colorful fireworks display consisting of four thousand volleys. After this, guests were treated to a disco at Medals Plaza.
VFMS

21.10.17
The Russian team won the 2017 WFMS football tournament

21.10.17
On October 20, at the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students, the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the international “Battle of Robots” were held. 18 teams from Russia, Brazil, India, Iran, Spain, Turkey and Australia competed for victory.
Each battle took place in a specially equipped ring, and was given 3 minutes. After that, experts assessed the damage suffered by the opposing teams. The robot was considered defeated if it stopped moving or if the number of points for the destruction inflicted on it exceeded the number of points of the enemy.
In the finals, teams from Kazan competed with the robot “Destructor”, Muscovites with the robot “Weber” and the Brazilian “Decepticon” with the original Russian nickname “Prostofilya”. The winner and owner of the cup and prize fund in the amount of 300 thousand rubles was the Weber Robotics team from Moscow. The remaining finalists received 100 thousand rubles each.
The battle was attended by the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, head of the Russian organizing committee of the WFMS 2017 Sergei Kiriyenko and the head of Sberbank German Gref.
“I wasn’t standing at the robot’s control panel, but while a spectacular battle was going on in the ring, I fidgeted and tried to press non-existent buttons with my hands. One robot was terribly sorry, the second one tried to help - this suggests that this is an amazingly exciting event. I would like to say thank you to the organizers of the battle, the Promobot company, and the employees of Sberbank, who put a lot of effort into making a real spectacle take place, which evokes emotions in all of us,” German Gref shared his impressions.
Sergei Kiriyenko noted that “Battle of Robots” is only partly a game, but otherwise it is serious work on creating new technologies: after all, behind the creation of each “fighter” there is a lot of work by its designers. “It would be very cool if the only conflicts that remained in our world were robot battles like this,” Kiriyenko expressed hope.

20.10.17
On October 22, 2017, the sky over the Imereti Valley will light up thanks to a pyrotechnic show of 4,000 salvos. New developments by specialists from the Research Institute of Applied Chemistry formed the basis of the fireworks display.

Today, October 20, at the intersection of Kurortny Prospekt and Fabritsius Street, a park was solemnly opened in honor of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students. The new recreational place was named just that - Festivalny Square.
The guests of honor at today’s celebration were participants of WFMS-2017 from many countries. Many Sochi residents also came to the celebration, some with children. In honor of the opening of the square, a eucalyptus tree was planted, which was called the “Tree of Peace.” Another noticeable decoration of the new green area is the figure of a dove, which is a symbol of peace and the WFMS. Like the nearby Arboretum Park, Festivalny Square, which covers more than a hectare, promises to become a popular place among citizens and resort guests.

18.10.17
After the end of the regional program of the XIX Festival of Youth and Students, which took place from October 14 to 17 in 15 regions of the country, all participants of the WFYS 2017 finally gathered in Sochi, their number will not increase any further.
During 4 days of the regional program, 2000 festival delegates, who were divided into groups, visited St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok, Kazan, Orenburg, Veliky Novgorod, Krasnoyarsk, Rostov-on-Don, Yaroslavl, Tyumen, Makhachkala, Novosibirsk, Izhevsk and Sevastopol. It is noteworthy that citizens of the United States and Canada visited Crimea and were delighted with what they saw.
Participants of WFMS 2017 continued to arrive at the festival throughout the first days. As a result, to date, about 25,000 young professionals in various fields aged 18 to 35 from 188 countries have gathered at WFMS 2017.
A volunteer corps also takes part in organizing the event. 5,000 people from Russia and foreign countries over 18 years of age have already become Peace Volunteers, including “silver” volunteers.

In the sky "Falcons of Russia", Battle of the robots, Nick Vujicic, .....

17.10.17
Participants of the Youth Festival will plant a tree of “friendship and solidarity” in a new park in Sochi

16.10.17
A colorful opening ceremony of the World Festival of Youth and Students took place in Sochi.
The creators of the performance at the Bolshoi Ice Palace were the famous producer Igor Krutoy and member of the Academy of Russian Television Alexey Sechenov. This is not their first joint project: they have already worked on shows for such large-scale events as the XXVII World Summer Universiade, the VII Asian Winter Olympic Games, the XVI FINA World Aquatics Championships and many others.

The President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, Nikos Papadimitriou, spoke at the opening ceremony. First, he thanked the Russian President and the entire Russian people for hosting the festival in their country.
“We are all welcome in the country of heroes who defeated fascism in World War II and changed history a hundred years ago,” said Papadimitriou. He also condemned fascism, colonialism and imperialism in his speech and called for unity in the name of peace.

After the main program, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared on stage and declared the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students open.

15.10.2017
Vladimir Putin will open the festival of youth and students in Sochi

14.10.17
The FIFA Secretary General will visit the Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi.
Speakers of the panel discussion “Investing in the younger generation: the key to the future of football”, which will be held on October 20 at the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students, will be FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, WorldFootballForum Director Edward Cowell, 2018 FIFA World Cup Ambassador from the host city Rostov-on-Don Victoria Lopyreva and anti-discrimination officer of the Russian Football Union Alexey Smertin.

October 13, 2017
On October 15, 2017, the opening ceremony of the World Festival of Youth and Students will be held at the Bolshoi Ice Palace on October 15. According to the organizers, this will be a bright event, united by the ideas of peace, goodness and friendship of peoples. The script is being kept in the strictest confidence for now.

October 12, 2017
Festival run with Match TV. To participate, you must register on the website before October 15.
If for some reason you cannot complete online registration, you can submit your application in the Main Grandstand building of the Sochi Autodrom on October 15 from 9.00 to 20.00. When registering, one of two distances is available – 2017 meters or 4000 meters.

Dear participants of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students!
Running is the most accessible and popular sport all over the world. Millions of people who are committed to a healthy lifestyle are passionate about running. It unites athletes and amateurs, people of different ages, nationalities and religions. The race over the symbolic distance of 2017 meters will be the largest and most widespread event in the sports program of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students.
Together with you, young people from more than 180 countries of the world will take part in the Festival Run!
The 2017 meter festival race is not a speed competition, the main thing is to reach the finish line. All participants in the race will receive memorable prizes - medals depicting the symbols of the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students.
Everyone will be able to take part in the Festival Run, including people with disabilities, because this is a race of limitless possibilities.
If you are serious about running, then you will have the opportunity to test yourself in a competitive 4 km race! The route runs along the Formula 1 circuit and allows you to show the best time.

MAP OF THE FESTIVAL TERRITORY

11.10.17
Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit the World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi and communicate with its participants. The head of state will also take part in the work of some sections of the forum.

10.10.17
Sochi residents and resort guests will greet the participants of the Youth Festival at the celebration on the South Pier. The concert dedicated to the opening of the 19th World Festival will begin at 14.00 and end at 19.00 on October 14. The program includes performances by national folklore groups and dance ensembles, musical compositions performed by soloists of the Sochi College of Arts. The special guest is the popular youth group “30.02”. One of the highlights of the holiday will be a blitz interview on stage with participants in youth festivals in Cuba in 1978 and in Moscow in 1985. Also, everyone present will be invited to sing the “Hymn of Democratic Youth,” which was first performed at the Strahov Stadium in Prague on July 25, 1947, on the opening day of the First World Festival of Youth and Students and was awarded first prize in the festival’s song competition.
The event will end with festive fireworks.
In addition, in honor of the opening of the forum, on October 13 at 13:00 in the hall of the Sochi Institute of Fashion, Business and Law, an exhibition of children's drawings “Salute, Festival!” will be opened. Children from all over the world sent their works.
– More than 150 children’s works were submitted for consideration by the competition jury. Young artists expressed on paper their understanding of the future of our planet. Joyful faces, cute animals, rich landscapes, flags and symbols of the peoples of the world are reflected in these drawings,” said Lilit Tigranyan, competition coordinator, head of the SIMBiP art school.

10.10.17 In Sochi, they are completing preparations for the most massive event of this year.

05.10.17.
Equipment for participants of the World Youth Festival was presented in Moscow

This is a product that represents our time. We did everything with great love, because we want these clothes to remain as a memory and to be reminiscent of those bright moments that the participants experienced at the festival,” commented Igor Chapurin.

The uniform was presented by famous Russian actors, TV presenters, athletes, musicians, including special correspondent of the “Evening Urgant” show Alla Mikheeva, TV presenter Aurora, actresses Ekaterina Varnava and Nadezhda Sysoeva, winner of the title “Miss World 2008” Ksenia Sukhinova, film producer Ilya Bachurin and singer Mitya Fomin.

PROGRAM:
OCTOBER 15, 2017 (SUNDAY)
09:00 – 20:00 Registration and issuance of starter kits

OCTOBER 16, 2017 (MONDAY)
07:00 – 10:00 Registration and issuance of starter kits
9:00 – 12:00 Opening of locker rooms and storage rooms
10:20 – 10:50 Official opening of the Race
10:50 – 11:00 Gathering of participants in the 2017 m and 4000 m races in the starting area
11:00 START OF THE 2017 m and 4000 m RACE
11:30 Closing finish of the Race
12:00 Closing of the Race
21:00 – Award ceremony for the winners of the Festival Run at a distance of 4 km (Main stage of the Festival).

Program of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students

14/10/2017 1 day Arrival and accreditation.

10/15/2017 Day 2 Main conferences within the framework of the Special Day, dedicated to the theme of the WFMS and the opening ceremony (Thematic program A -) Main theme: 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution and 70th anniversary of the festival movement.
WFMS is dedicated to:
A. Ernesto Che Guevara
b. Mohammed Abdelaziz
V. Fidel Castro Rus

10/16/2017 Day 3 (Thematic program B) The refugee crisis as a result of imperialist aggressiveness. Strength of solidarity in achieving peace. America Day.

10/17/2017 Day 4 Partnership for Development (Thematic Program C) The fight against fascism, anti-communism, racism and xenophobia. Africa Day.

10/18/2017 Day 5 (Thematic program D) Student movement in the struggle for free and high-quality public education. The struggle of young people for free and universal access to health care, education, science, culture and information. Middle East Day.

10/19/2017 Day 6 (Thematic program E) The impact of the capitalist crisis on human rights; unemployment and youth precarity. Asia and Oceania Day.

10/20/2017 Day 7 (Thematic program F) Scientific and technological progress and its impact on the environment. Europe Day.

21/10/2017 Day 8 Host Country Day and official closing ceremony. Russia Day.

10/22/2017 Day 9 Departure of delegates.

10/15/2017 – DAY 2 Thematic day
09:00 -10:00 Ceremonial parade of delegates in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution

10:30 Exhibitions(work daily)
Exhibition dedicated to the Soviet era
Special exhibition dedicated to the period of World War II and the contribution of the USSR to the struggle of peoples against Nazism and fascism
Exhibition dedicated to the life of Ernesto Che Guevara
Exhibition dedicated to Mohammed Abdelaziz
Special exhibition dedicated to the VI and XII All-Russian FMS, held in the USSR
Exhibition dedicated to the life and ideas of Fidel Castro

11:00 -13:00, 14:30 -17:30
Conference Preservation of Historical Memory (Thematic Program A)
Goals and achievements of the Great October Socialist Revolution.
The legacy of Ernesto Che Guevara in the youth movement.
Mohammed Abdelaziz as a symbol of anti-colonial struggle and independence.
WFDM as the main anti-imperialist youth organization; her responsibility for the preservation and development of the WFMS.
13:00 -14:30 Lunch break
18:00 -21:00 Official opening ceremony

10/16/2017 -Day 3 America Day
09:30 -12:30; 14:30 – 17:30 Main conference (Thematic program B)
Peace, justice and effective cooperation

The struggle to maintain sovereignty, independence and self-determination
The role of youth in the struggle to achieve peace and international solidarity
Imperialist conflicts and the threat of wider war
Other methods of imperialist policy: blockades, embargoes, economic and other sanctions.
Peace, justice and effective cooperation
The refugee crisis as a result of imperialist aggressiveness. The power of solidarity in achieving peace.
Partnership for Development
Friendship of peoples and the fight against fascism, racism, discrimination and xenophobia (Thematic program C)
Quality education, health and well-being
The role and contribution of the student movement in the struggle against imperialism in order to ensure peace and solidarity (Thematic Program D)
Decent work and economic growth
Youth vulnerability and youth unemployment: how to address these challenges (Thematic Program E)
Ensuring environmental sustainability
Development of science and healthcare: for the benefit of humanity or for the sake of monopoly profits? (Thematic program F)
Global politics, their agenda and ways to protect international peace
World culture
Preservation of historical memory
The role of the USSR in the victory over Nazism and fascism (Thematic program A)
Energy for peoples without borders
Regional
World culture
Preservation of historical memory
The role of the USSR in the victory over Nazism and fascism (Thematic program A).
General seminar Preservation of the environment. Sustainable development
Determined by region
Peace, justice and effective cooperation
The role of youth in the struggle for peace and international solidarity (Thematic Program B)

Youth media
Friendship Fair
General seminar of the day Access to information and works of art
General seminar of the day Healthy lifestyle is a national problem of modern society
Sports events
Cultural events

12:30 -14:00 Lunch break

10/17/2017 -Day 4 Africa Day

09:30 -12:30; 14:30 -17:30
Main conference (Thematic program C)
Partnership for Development Fighting fascism, anti-communism, racism and xenophobia.
Seminar Anti-communist propaganda, banning communist parties, persecuting communists in an attempt to weaken organized struggle. (Thematic program C)
Seminar Partnership for Development The growth of fascist sentiments with the support of imperialism. (Thematic program C)
Partnership for Development The role of youth in the fight for gender equality. (Thematic program C)
Peace, justice and effective cooperation
Fight against imperialist wars and alliances by calling for demilitarization and the closure of military bases. (Thematic program B)
Quality education, health and well-being
The tradition of the student movement, its history and prospects. (Thematic program D)
Decent work and economic growth
Intensification of migration processes in conditions of the capitalist crisis. (Thematic program E)
Ensuring environmental sustainability
Fighting incurable diseases. Land question, hunger, food security. (Thematic program F)
Different Roles of Civic Engagement
Future technologies
Preservation of historical memory
Environment and health
Future technologies
Preservation of historical memory
Che and the Cuban Revolution (Thematic Program A)
Workshop Determined by region
General workshop Culture as a space for dialogue
Solidarity Forum Determined by region
Meetings for mutual exchange of views
Fight against all bad habits Youth of rural and agricultural areas
Friendship Fair
General seminar of the day
Capitalist exploitation of resources, environmental destruction and climate change
New technologies and the society of the future: trends and forecasts
Sports events
Cultural events

12:30 -14:00 Lunch break

10/18/2017 -DAY 5 Middle East Day

09:30 -12:30; 14:30 -17:30
Main Conference (Thematic Program D)
Quality education, health and well-being
Student movement in the struggle for free and quality public education. The struggle of young people for free and universal access to health care, education, science, culture and information.
Privatization processes and their impact on the struggle of youth for free and quality public education (Thematic Program D)
How imperialism manipulates media and information. (Thematic program D)
Quality education, health and well-being
Illiteracy in the 21st century and the fight against it (Thematic program D)
New anti-scientific educational materials as a tool for manipulating the minds of young people. (Thematic program D)
Peace, justice and effective cooperation
Religious and Ethnic Conflicts as Instruments of Imperialism (Thematic Program B)
Partnership for Development
The importance of combating the unequal status of women. (Thematic program C)
Decent work and economic growth
Austerity measures and unpopular measures to exploit workers. The struggle of youth and workers for the right to work and legal protection of labor. (Thematic program E)
Ensuring environmental sustainability
Development of new technologies outside the military industry. (Thematic program F)
The future of science and global education
Design the future. Architecture and design
Seminar Western Sahara – the last colony in Africa
Workshop Determined by region
Solidarity Forum Determined by region
Meetings for mutual exchange of views
Student organizations and young students
Friendship Fair
General seminar of the day Scientific view of global space
The struggle of humanity against extremism and the system that generates terrorism.
Sports events
Cultural events

12:30 -14:00 Lunch break

10/19/2017 - DAY 6 Asia and Oceania Day

09:30 -12:30; 14:30 -17:30
Main Conference (Thematic Program E)
Decent work and economic growth
The impact of the capitalist crisis on the rights of peoples. Unemployment and youth vulnerability.
The ongoing capitalist crisis and the situation of youth. (Thematic program E)
Poverty in various regions and the struggle to improve the living standards of peoples. (Thematic Program E) Determined by region
Prospects for progressive social transformation as opposed to the aggressive capitalist crisis. (Thematic program E)
Exploitation of child labor and children's rights. (Thematic program E)
Peace, justice and effective cooperation
The imperialistic nature of NATO and the EU, their aggressive role and military interventions. (Thematic program B)
Quality education, health and well-being
Rights of young people in relation to access to sports and cultural activities (Thematic Program D)
Industry of the future
Integration of youth with trade unions
Preservation of historical memory
The contribution of the USSR to the struggle of national liberation movements (Thematic program A).
Workshop Determined by region
General workshop Industrial development
Solidarity Forum Determined by region
Meetings for the purpose of mutual exchange of views Young trade union members
Friendship Fair
General seminar of the day: Intensification of migration processes as a consequence of the capitalist crisis: adaptation and problems
The role of youth in the fight against illiteracy
Sports events
Cultural events
International Anti-Imperialist Court

12:30 -14:00 Lunch break

20/10/2017 -DAY 7 Europe Day

09:30 -12:30; 14:30 -17:30
Ensuring environmental sustainability
Scientific and technological progress and its impact on the environment
Seminar Ensuring environmental sustainability
Environment and development in the service of youth and humanity as a whole. (Thematic program F)
Ensuring environmental sustainability
Climate change and measures to combat it. (Thematic program F)
Ensuring environmental sustainability
Capitalist exploitation of resources and destruction of the environment. (Thematic program F)
Ensuring environmental sustainability
People should have free access to water as a common resource. (Thematic program F)
Peace, justice and effective cooperation
The fight against agreements of international associations and organizations as instruments in the hands of imperialism (IMF, WB, TTIP, TPP, CETA) (Thematic Program B)
Partnership for Development
Imperialist interventions under the pretext of restoring human rights and freedoms. (Thematic program C)
Quality education, health and well-being
Fighting AIDS – Patents and Diseases as an Imperialist Business (Thematic Program D)
Decent work and economic growth
The role of international organizations in taking unpopular measures. Consequences of international agreements such as TTIP, TPP. (Thematic program E)
Seminar New media New media
Seminar Economics and development for the benefit of the future
Seminar Preservation of historical memory
The WFMS movement and its history (Thematic program A)
Workshop Determined by region
General workshop Science and innovation in medicine
Solidarity Forum Determined by region
Meetings for the purpose of mutual exchange of views Young representatives of autochthonous peoples
Friendship Fair
General seminar of the day The impact of social media on society
Humanity's struggle against wars, invasions and occupations
Sports events
Cultural events
IV International preparatory meeting (adoption of the Declaration of the XIXWFMS)

12:30 -14:00 Lunch break

21/10/2017 DAY 8 Russia Day

09:30 -12:30; 14:30 -17:30
Main Conference (Thematic Program F)

Seminar Determined by the host country's CPD
Workshop Determined by the CPD of the host country
General workshop Aviation of the future
Solidarity Forum
Determined by the host country's CDD
Meetings for mutual exchange of views
International anti-imperialist organizations
Friendship Fair
General seminar of the day
Water as a universal resource. Fight against privatization of water resources.
Against any attempts to falsify history and revise the results of the Second World War by equating communism with fascism.
Sports events
Cultural events

12:30 - 14:30 Lunch break

17:30 -21:00 Official Closing Ceremony

List of items prohibited from being brought into the territory of the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi

1 explosives and their components, means of explosion and objects stuffed with them
2 weapons of any type, including self-defense, ammunition, components of firearms
3 piercing or cutting objects, knives, other bladed weapons, as well as other objects that can be used as weapons
4 compressed and liquefied gases (except for pocket lighters)
5 flammable and pyrotechnic substances or products, including flares, flares, firecrackers, gas cylinders and items (chemical materials) that can be used to make pyrotechnic products or smoke (except for matches)
6 flammable solids
7 Oxidizing agents and organic peroxides
8 toxic substances, radioactive materials and corrosive substances
9 poisonous, poisonous and pungent-smelling substances
10 flammable and combustible liquids, flammable gases
11 soiling substances and objects
12 devices and products, including home-made ones, that are not pyrotechnics, used for scattering, spraying various materials and substances (including pneumatic flappers) and other substances, products, objects, incl. homemade products, the use of which may cause injury, fire or smoke
13 other substances, products, objects, including homemade ones, the use of which can lead to smoke or fire
14 materials of an extremist, offensive or discriminatory nature, containing Nazi paraphernalia or symbols, or extremist paraphernalia or symbols (with the exception of official symbols of the participating states of the Festival)
(1 During special events, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation may introduce additional restrictions.
organizations, or aimed at discrimination of any kind against a country, person or group of persons on the basis of race, colour, ethnic, national or social origin and status by place of birth, financial status or other status, gender, disability, language, religion, political or other beliefs, or for any other reason, including, but not limited to banners, flags, symbols and paraphernalia, leaflets, clothing)
15 body protection equipment:
- body armor,
- body protection products used for martial arts and extreme sports,
- corsets (except for medical reasons)
(exception - kits necessary for extreme sports as part of the official part of the program)
16 narcotic, psychotropic and toxic substances, their precursors, including in the form of medicines
17 working tools
18 glass containers and bottles
19 liquids in containers over 1500 ml
20 thermoses and flasks (with the exception of transparent plastic containers up to 1.5 liters)
21 alcoholic drinks
22 aerosol cans
23 any animals (exception - guide dogs with a passport and completed veterinary document)
24 folding chairs or benches
25 bulky objects, the sum of three dimensions of length, width and height exceeds 75cm
26 scooters not intended for transportation of low-mobility groups of the population (MPG) (exception - conventional and electric wheelchairs *;
electric 3 and 4 wheel scooters for MGN (up to: width -70 cm, length -130 cm, turning width up to 90 cm)
27 flags and banners whose dimensions exceed 2x1.5 m (exception - flags up to 2x1.5 m only made of non-flammable materials)
28 poles for flags or posters of any type (exception - flexible plastic or double poles (up to: length 1 meter)
29 advertising materials of any kind, printed materials with religious, political or offensive content or content contrary to public order and/or morality (including banners, banners, posters, signs and their analogues) (exception - religious books for personal use)
30 professional television and telecommunications equipment**
31 technical means that can interfere with an official event of the Festival or its participants
32 means of disguise or objects that make identification difficult
33 moving and gliding aircraft and their models (gliders, drones, kites, etc.)
34 any bulk substances regardless of volume (exception - permitted medicinal products in the form of bulk substances)
35 any items that outwardly resemble prohibited items or their copies and analogues
36 other substances and items that pose a danger, as well as prohibited for circulation on the territory of the Russian Federation
*speed up to 6 km/h
**admission through checkpoint No. 6

From October 14 to 22, Russia will host the World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS). 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 from 150 countries will take part in the event, and 8 thousand volunteers will ensure its implementation.

Sochi is the capital of the festival in 2017

Russia received the right to host the festival in May 2016. The Russian Federation’s application was the only one that was unanimously approved by the festival’s preparatory committee, which met in Caracas (Venezuela). Vladimir Putin personally made the proposal 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 emphasized: during international events, Russia must show its best sides and successes, demonstrate its 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, which overlooks the main building of Moscow State University - a symbol of Russian students.

Further events will take place in . After the 2014 Olympics, the resort still has international-level infrastructure, which allows it to host large-scale events without extra costs. Festival participants will stay in hotels in the Olympic Village. Exhibitions, lectures, and concerts will also be held here. The Rosa Khutor ski resort, located half an hour from Sochi, will become a venue for sporting events.

Program of events

The festival is dedicated to topics that are relevant among young people:

• Culture and globalization (cultural heritage of the nation, communication between representatives of different cultures, creativity);
• Economics, 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, and 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 schedule of events will appear after the second preparatory meeting, which will take place on October 30 in Namibia.

Festival Ambassadors

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

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

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 favorite 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 teachers, researchers, members of student government;
6. Entrepreneurs;
7. Foreigners interested in Russian language and culture.

Participants will be able to stay 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 would like to participate in the festival, fill out the form at russia2017.com/#/members. Candidates will then undergo correspondence and face-to-face interviews.

How to become a volunteer?

Another way to get to the festival is through volunteering (doing organizational work for free). Volunteers can become active Russians over 18 years of age who speak a foreign language and want to try their hand at one of the areas of work:

• Transport logistics
• Holding and servicing events, including parades in Moscow
• Medical support for the festival
• Meeting and accompanying foreign delegations
• Working with journalists
• Working with volunteers
• Catering and accommodation for participants
• Translation for festival staff and delegates
• Creating a festive atmosphere in Sochi (“city volunteers”)

Recruitment of volunteers will begin in October 2016. Everyone must fill out a form on the website. The best applicants will undergo an in-person or online interview, followed by training at centers that will open throughout 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 events.

Festival organizers

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

• Russian Komsomol (RKSM)
• Leninist 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 suggested that the management involve students in organizing events.

Preparation for the festival

Events dedicated to the festival are in full swing. On October 12, 2016, a meeting of festival ambassadors was held in Moscow. On October 10-13, participants of the “Russia – a Sports Power” forum covered a 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. WFMS will be the leading theme of the “In Contact” festival, which will take place in St. Petersburg in the summer of 2017. Postage stamps and a commemorative coin dedicated to the student event will appear in Russia.

History of the festival

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

In the first decades of its existence, the festival took place every two years. It gathered representatives of communist, socialist and anti-fascist youth associations. Participants included members of radical movements, some of which were banned in their countries. The leading themes of the festival were international cooperation and the fight against fascism.