Russia hosts the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students on October 14-22. The official opening and main events take place in Sochi’s Olympic Park. Moscow hosted two world festivals - in 1957 and 1985. The 6th World Festival of Youth and Students in 1957 was the largest-ever, with 34,000 young men and women from 100 countries taking part. It was the first World Festival of Youth and Students held in the Soviet Union, which was opening its doors for the first time to the world. TASS remembers how it all started.
Soviet youth festival: memories from the past
Russia hosts the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students on October 14-22
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Muscovites greeting the guests of the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students, 1957
© Viktor Koshevoy, Vladimir Savostyanov/TASS The opening ceremony of the sports tournaments during the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow
© A.Batanov, V.Mastyukov/TASS The 6th World Festival of Youth and Students in 1957 was the largest-ever, with 34,000 young men and women from 100 countries taking part. Photo: Students form the word “Peace”
© Valentin Sobolev/TASS Young people from Africa, Argentina and Bulgaria talking at the official opening of the festival at the Vladimir Lenin Central Stadium in Moscow, 1957
© L. Bordukov/TASS Opening of the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow, 1957
© A.Batanov/TASS Concert of delegates from Africa at the VDNKh exhibition center, 1957
© Emmanuil Yevzerikhin/TASS A carnival participant from Africa at the Red Square, 1957
© Vasily Yegorov/TASS The Scottish Highlanders Orchestra and delegates from Ukraine, 1957
© Viktor Yankov/TASS Delegate from Chile shows the pinback buttons, collected during the festival, 1957
© V.Gaganov/TASS Muscovites welcome Jordanian delegates, 1957
© Nikolai Rakhmanov/TASS Indonesian and Tunisian delegates among Moscow residents, 1957
© Emmanuil Yevzerikhin/TASS Fireworks seen during the 6th World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow, 1957
© Alexander Konkov, Valentin Mastyukov/TASS