(Phnom Penh): Twelve Cambodian youths have been selected to represent Cambodia at the International Youth Festival 2026 (IFY-2026), which will bring together 10,000 young people from more than 190 countries in Russia from September 11 to 20.
The Cambodian delegation was selected from thousands of applicants in Cambodia and across ASEAN to join the global gathering under the theme “Follow Your Dream.”
The festival received more than 113,000 applications from 191 countries during its four-month application period. For the first time, international applications surpassed those from Russian applicants by around 32,000. The 10,000 selected participants comprise 5,000 Russians and 5,000 international participants, including 1,000 teenagers aged 14 to 17. They will participate in programs covering creative industries, science and education, sports, media, information technology, entrepreneurship, public administration and civic engagement.
The participation of Cambodian youth will provide opportunities to showcase their talents and achievements, exchange knowledge and experience, build international networks and strengthen youth-to-youth ties between Cambodia, Russia and other countries.
The main program will be held at Ekaterinburg Expo, with participants accommodated at Ural Federal University. About 2,000 volunteers will support the festival across 17 areas, including logistics, accreditation and delegation assistance.
The week-long program will feature discussions, lectures, sports activities, cultural performances, concerts, tournaments, a food festival and a design and merchandise market.
Following the main festival, around 1,000 international participants will join five-day expeditions across Russia, covering 33 routes in 35 regions, as well as the federal territory of Sirius, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The expeditions offer participants opportunities to explore Russia’s cultural and natural heritage, technological and industrial facilities; and conduct field research and engage with local youth, including Indigenous communities.
IFY-2026 follows the World Youth Festival in Sirius in 2024 and the Youth Assembly in Nizhny Novgorod in 2025, continuing Russia’s series of international youth events.
The festival’s community symbol is a lighthouse, while its two mascots are Cheburashka and Uralik, a young sable from the Urals whose name was chosen by local residents.
Learn more at: https://wyffest.com/en/news
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