The World Festival of Youth and Students is a unique versatile site on which representatives of youth from the different countries of the world jointly try to develop new model of the future for all our planet.
For the first time the issue of holding a large-scale meeting of young people was from around the world discussed in Great Britain at the World Conference of Youth in London in 1945 where it was proclaimed about creation of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).
After the WFDY institution the base of the International Union of Students (IUS) followed in Prague (Czechoslovakia, nowadays – the Czech Republic) in August of 1946.
During joint activities of the International Union of Students and the World Federation of Democratic Youth in 1947 the organizations made the fatal historical decision on holding the First World Festival of Youth and Students.
The Muscovites hosted the World Festival of Youth and Students twice. About 35 thousand people participated in the Festival of 1957. The slogan “For Peace and Friendship” integrated young representatives from 131 countries. The Moscow festival was one of the largest cultural, social, political events of several post-war decades of the XXth century.
The 26 thousand young people participated in other Moscow Festival of 1985 which was taking place with the slogan “For Anti-imperialist Solidarity, Peace and Friendship”. On the 15 unique specialized platforms they discussed different problems: from the subject of disarmament and international communication to economy and ecology. From the point of view of variety of political and public organizations, this festival became the most representative.
This year the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students took place in the city of Sochi from the 14th of October to the 22th of October of 2017. About 30 thousand representatives of youth from 185 countries of the world took the active part in this event. The program of the Festival was provided in various forms: discussion platforms, “campus” (a unique general space for participants of all subject directions combining different activities of educational, social and leisure character) and also series of the scientific and educational actions including master classes and workshops, panelized discussions, lectures and conferences.
It should be noted the increased interest in participation in the Festival of representatives of youth from the countries of Latin America. This year young people from Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina, El Salvador, Venezuela, Guatemala and other countries of the region have joined his work. The Cuban students have presented the delegates as a part of 250 people.
The Bolivian student Willy Eliseo Higorre Escalante who became the only participant, presented the Plurinational State of Bolivia at the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students has shared his bright impressions and photographic material with us:
“A few days ago I have endured what I will never be able to forget, to me the success in such tremendous event has had to participate. I can’t still believe that it has happened to me, thousands of young talented people have gathered on one festival filled with culture, science and art. The audience at numerous forums exchanged the ideas, showing new realities, discussed 17 main objectives of the UN. I could never think that so many people ready to change the world will gather in one place. But understanding that it is possible to guarantee modern, steady and safe power sources for all mankind became the main opening in my life. I was lucky to see the unique person who has inspired me on studying of Russian, the person whom I admire – the President of the Russian Federation – Vladimir Putin. My delight from participation in the Festival will last during all my life, any dream always comes true, and now to me it is necessary not only to dream, but also to look for new forms and opportunities to add new skills for my career, now I am filled with many ideas and the purposes which to me were presented by this surprising festival. I have brought from Russia memoirs, friends, magnificent experts and grandiose purposes. I am grateful to “Rosatom” and Russia. I hope that bonds between our countries will become stronger every year”.
