Training of the North Caucasus Volunteer Corps for the World Youth Festival Begins

The World Youth Festival Volunteer Recruitment and Training Centers were opened in Pyatigorsk and Stavropol. They will select and train volunteers from all over the North Caucasus Federal District for the largest international youth event.

The centers were established at two universities— North Caucasus Federal University and Pyatigorsk State University. They will train 260 volunteers from seven regions — Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, the Chechen Republic and Stavropol Territory.

The Center at North Caucasus Federal University was opened on September 13 and the Volunteer Center of Pyatigorsk State University started its work on September 15. NCFU also unveiled an art object dedicated to the World Youth Festival. It features the WYF 2024 logo, a stylized image of human figures holding hands. The symbol represents people who are different in their character, faith, culture, and beliefs, but united by a single dream of a world where everyone can be themselves. The art object has a QR code that students can scan to instantly apply for participation.

The opening ceremonies were attended by Larisa Sulima, Deputy Director General for Regional Cooperation of the World Youth Festival Directorate, Dmitry Bespalov, Rector of NCFU, and Aleksandr Gorbunov, Rector of PSU.

«Volunteering is an important basis for building friendships between students in Russia and abroad.Our students have a rich experience of participating in national and international events.I am sure that with their initiative and desire to be part of the Festival team, they will do their best to make this event the best ever», said Dmitry Bespalov, Rector of NCFU. The participants signed agreements describing the functional obligations of the Volunteer Recruitment and Training Centers and the formats of interaction with the World Youth Festival Directorate.

«Pyatigorsk State University is very happy to become an integral part of a large team that in 2024 will deliver the Festival for young people from all over the world. This is fully in line with our university's key brand, which is «A university that opens and transforms the world». Our university volunteers have a wealth of experience from working at the Sochi Olympics and Paralympics, Formula 1, FIFA World Cup and 2017 World Festival of Youth and Students. For 11 years, we have been working on the implementation of volunteer programs — primarily federal ones — and the preparation of major events. With inspiration and enthusiasm we will fulfill all the tasks and contribute to the success of the World Youth Festival», said Aleksandr Gorbunov, Rector of PSU.

The Centers are responsible for selecting applications, training volunteers from all over Russia and coordinating their work at all the Festival venues. 9 volunteer centers have already been opened in the Volga, Central, Ural and Far Eastern Federal Districts. In September, they will start training recruiters and trainers, who, as official representatives of the centres, will recruit and train volunteers in all Russian regions until the end of January 2024.

A total of 27 organizations across the country were selected based on the results of the All-Russian competition to establish the World Youth Festival Volunteer Recruitment and Training Centers. 474 candidates from 86 regions, including the DPR, LPR, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions, submitted their applications.These are universities, colleges, non-profit organizations and state institutions that promote volunteering and youth work.

Overview:

The World Youth Festival will take place in 2024, according to the decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the development of international youth cooperation. At the first meeting of the Organizing Committee chaired by Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration, it was decided to hold the Festival in the Sirius Federal Territory on March 1-7, 2024. The regional program of the World Youth Festival will take place on March 10-17, 2024. The participants will visit 30 cities of Russia.

20,000 young leaders in education, science, international cooperation, culture, volunteering, charity, sports, business, media, etc., including 10,000 foreign participants, will take part in the WYF 2024. For the first time in the history of the festival movement young people aged 14-17, 500 from Russia and 500 from abroad, will have the opportunity to participate in the event. Registration is open until December 1 at fest2024.com.

5,000 volunteers from all regions of Russia, including about 250 residents of the LPR, DPR, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions will be involved in the organization and delivery of the Festival. Registration of volunteers is open on the ДОБРО.РФ platform until December 1, 2023.

The World Youth Festival is organized by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) and operated by the World Youth Festival Directorate.

Prepared by the World Youth Festival Press Office