SIRIUS /Federal Territory/, March 2. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially launched the World Youth Festival.

Footage of the president’s greetings to the participants was shown at the opening ceremony in the World Market ‘Art. Molodost (Youth)’ in the Sirius Federal Territory, next to the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"I declare the World Youth Festival open," Putin said.

The main objective of the festival is to showcase that the world is made up of us and that each takes his or her responsibility for its future. Thus, the World Youth Festival is a venue for forging ties between young people from different countries in order to build a fair future. The festival’s organizers believe that the world of the future can be built only by a team, each member of which is unique, but together they make a harmonious picture.

The festival is taking place in the Sirius Federal Territory on March 1-7. Over 300,000 people from 190 countries applied to take part in it. Participants in the festival’s regional program will visit 30 Russian cities on March 10-17. TASS is the event’s general information partner.