Kazan has held the Opening Ceremony to the first BRICS Youth Festival with 150 participants from 13 countries.
The first BRICS Youth Festival has opened in Kazan. The event collected 150 teenagers aged 14 to 17, representing 35 municipalities of 13 countries around the world. The opening ceremony was held on September 22 at the Kamal theatre. The participants were greeted personally by the Mayor of Kazan, Ilsur Metshin.
The first BRICS Youth Festival has opened in Kazan. The event brought together 150 teenagers aged 14 to 17, representing 35 municipalities of 13 countries around the world. The opening ceremony was held on September 22 at the Kamal theatre. The participants were greeted personally by the Mayor of Kazan, Ilsur Metshin.
“Dear guests and participants, we are sincerely happy to welcome you to Kazan! – said the Mayor of Kazan, Ilsur Metshin. – One of our ideas was to have our children exchange best practices and build friendships. This is how the concept of this festival that would combine cultural and educational components was born. I sincerely believe in your future. Welcome to Kazan, to Tatarstan, to Russia!”
The idea of organizing the festival was introduced by Ilsur Metshin last year at the working meeting of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities in Dubai. The idea was widely supported, becoming a vivid example of international cooperation.
At the festival’s opening ceremony the participants were shown introduction videos that helped them grasp the history of Russia and Tatarstan. Talented artists performed on stage with songs and dance numbers.
A special moment of the show program was the ceremonial flag parade: the banners of the 13 participating countries, symbolizing unity and friendship, were carried onto the stage. The festival holds representatives from Belarus, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and Uzbekistan.
Among the festival participants is Catharina Salees Carraturi Pereira from Brazil. The young woman said that the journey from São Paulo to Kazan took about 17 hours. She came to the festival to make new friends and gain new knowledge. Catharina attended the opening ceremony in a bright traditional costume of her country.
17-year-old Wu Junshi, who arrived from the Chinese city of Changchun, also shared his emotions about the BRICS Youth Festival: «I am having a great time in Kazan with my classmates. My favorite subject is computer science, and I came here to improve my skills in this field,» noted Wu Junshi.
For seven days, participants will enjoy a rich and diverse program at the «Molodaya Gvardiya» sports and recreation camp: robotics master classes, the international song contest “BRICS Vision”, a national costume show, a board games festival, quests, as well as games and dance parties.
A key event will be the BRICS Youth Olympiad in mathematics and computer science, which will take place on September 23 at Kazan Federal University. Participants will demonstrate their knowledge and team spirit in two age categories – senior (16-17 years old) and junior (14-15 years old). The festival will also be a platform for serious discussions: tomorrow, a meeting of the Committee on Youth Policy and Education of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities will be held. Experts will discuss current challenges and best practices in youth policy, paving the way for future cooperation.
The guests of Kazan will also immerse themselves in the city’s atmosphere: there will be field trips to the legendary Kazan Kremlin, the Galiaskar Kamal Theatre, the modern URAM extreme park, and the Kazan Zoo and Botanical Garden, as well as to a hockey match between «Ak Bars» and «Avangard.»
The festival will conclude with a gala concert, featuring performances by the best youth and children’s creative groups from Tatarstan and the participating countries, showcasing the world the richness of cultures and talents.
The festival will leave behind not only bright memories; the participants will plant trees on the «Friends of the World» alley, symbolizing the growth and strengthening of international ties. Additionally, a BRICS+ youth library with publications from different countries will be established at the School No. 107.
