MOSCOW, October 26. /TASS/. Over 160,000 applications to attend an international youth festival in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi next spring have been filed by hopefuls from more than 180 countries, Sergey Kiriyenko, first deputy head of the Russian Presidential Administration, said.

"We are happy to have received more than 160,000 applications [to attend] from over 180 countries," Kiriyenko said.

Russia will host the World Youth Festival (WYF) in 2024, by decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the aim of developing and fostering international cooperation among young people. As many as 20,000 participants will be selected, including 1,000 youths aged between 14 and 18 years old, via a competitive selection process.

The event will be held at the Sirius Federal Center in Sochi on March 1-7, 2024. The WYF regional program will take place on March 10-17, 2024, with participants visiting 30 Russian cities.