Russia has invited journalists to cover the upcoming International Festival of Youth (IFY)-2026, announcing that the accreditation process for media professionals has officially begun.
The festival, scheduled to be held from September 11 to 17 in Yekaterinburg, is now accepting applications from both local and international journalists, as well as new media professionals, including social media content creators and digital media contributors.
According to a press release issued by the World Youth Festival Directorate on Tuesday night (May 5, Bangladesh time), interested media representatives must apply through the International Platform of Opportunities website. Both independent journalists and those nominated by media organizations are eligible to apply.
The accreditation process will be completed in two stages. In the first stage, applicants must register on the designated website. In the second stage, they must submit an official accreditation request to work at the festival venue through a provided link.
Director General of the Directorate, Dmitry Ivanov, stated that an International Media Center will be established at the IFY-2026 venue. The center will include workstations for journalists, relaxation areas, press briefing and conference facilities (to be held daily), and dedicated studios for interviews. Additionally, transportation services within Yekaterinburg and catering facilities at the venue will be provided for accredited media personnel.
In response to a query, the Directorate confirmed that all travel expenses, including international airfare from journalists’ home countries to Russia, will be fully covered by the organizers for approved applicants.
Dmitry Ivanov said there is significant interest among media representatives and content creators from Russia and around the world regarding the International Festival of Youth. He added that the organizers are committed not only to inviting the media community but also to ensuring a highly comfortable and efficient working environment.
Accredited journalists will receive enhanced access to major events, opportunities to engage with top-level speakers, and direct interaction with participants from various countries. The media center will function as a fully equipped workspace supported by media volunteers.
He further noted that the festival is expected to host at least 500 media representatives from around the world.
The International Festival of Youth traces its origin to the World Youth Festival 2024 held in Sirius, Russia, marking the beginning of a global youth engagement initiative. Following this, annual international youth events have been organized in line with directives from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In 2025, the World Youth Festival Assembly held in Nizhny Novgorod brought together 2,000 youth delegates from 120 countries. The upcoming edition, themed “Dream with Russia,” is expected to gather around 10,000 representatives from 191 countries.
