MOSCOW, January 27. /TASS/. Events for the 2026 International Youth Festival will be held in 30 Russian regions and in the Republic of Abkhazia located on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea, the website of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) reported.

The festival's organizing committee held its first meeting in Moscow on January 27. The meeting was chaired by Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration.

Kiriyenko proposed keeping the regional program, where international participants travel across Russia. He emphasized how important it is for young people from abroad to experience Russia firsthand. This allows them to move past Western media stereotypes, to witness everyday life, the rich culture, and the centuries of harmony among the country's many ethnic groups.

"The regional program will cover 30 Russian regions. For the first time, the organizing committee has decided to hold one international trip to a friendly country with deep historical and cultural ties to Russia - the Republic of Abkhazia," the statement said.

Kiriyenko noted the main festival events will take place this year on the eastern side of the Ural Mountains in the city of Yekaterinburg, gathering 10,000 young people from 190 countries. He said a key change is that foreign delegations will be organized by professional field. The festival will bring together leading young figures from creative industries, public service, science, technology, sports, business, media, and social sectors - individuals already shaping their countries' and the world's future. "That is why it's pivotal for the festival to present the best Russian projects and practices," he added.

The first deputy chief of staff added it is pivotal to present Russia to these young leaders as "a land of limitless possibilities, where people know how to dream and turn dreams into reality." "The festival's 2026 motto, 'Follow the Dream. Together with Russia,' is no accident. During the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, announced by President Vladimir Putin, the festival will stand as a truly unifying event. It will vividly demonstrate to the world the richness, diversity, and unique traditions of our country's peoples," Kiriyenko stated.