Mayor of Kazan met with 13 young representatives from the countries participating in the BRICS Youth Festival
Today, at the Kazan City Hall, the Mayor of Kazan met with young participants of the BRICS Youth Festival. Gathered at a round table, 13 young representatives from different countries shared their impressions of the festival, discussed their vision for the planet’s future, and emphasized the importance of international youth cooperation.
«Good afternoon, dear participants of the BRICS Youth Festival. I am pleased to welcome you at the Kazan City Hall», said Ilsur Metshin to the festival participants. «The most significant event held in this building was the 2024 BRICS Summit. The leaders of your countries came here — to the heart of Kazan — to make decisions of global importance. Today, you, the young generation of BRICS, are taking on the mantle of this great mission and responsibility. You are the ones who will shape the future of our nations and drive international cooperation forward.»
The Mayor stated that the discussion would focus on multipolarity and fostering harmonious relations between countries and peoples.
«Every country is unique with its culture, language, and traditions; each has its own strengths. And that’s great! We can learn from each other. For example, one country might build a unique robot, another might invent a universal medicine, and a third might master the construction of high-tech homes. By sharing this knowledge, we can work together to make our world a better place,» the Mayor said.
Gathered at the round table were Miguel Carraturi (Brazil), Amudha Naveen (India), Wu Junshi (China), Simthandile Gabriella Malusi (South Africa), Amirhossein Gholamzade (Iran), Bitaniya Andualem Tenaw (Ethiopia), Sofia Hassan (Egypt), Kanya Anindita (Indonesia), Ömer Çakmak (Turkey), Nikolai Sidorenko (Belarus), Zhumabek Kazhygeldy (Kazakhstan), Mirzhalol Kosimov (Uzbekistan), and Sergey Nazyrov (Russia).
The round table participants shared their thoughts on what they believe the world will look like in 25 years.
The Future World: Smart Cities, Revolutionary Medicine, and New Eco-Ethics
Nikolai Sidorenko from Belarus envisioned a future where people live in «talking» smart homes that adapt to their preferences. He predicted that cities will be designed to cope with a more unpredictable climate, with buildings that generate their own energy, purify the air, and even change shape based on solar activity.
A key feature will be vertical ecology: farms will be built on facades, and parks — on the roofs of skyscrapers. Transport will move underground, freeing the surface for pedestrians and nature.
Sidorenko also forecast a medical revolution driven by artificial intelligence, with neural networks making accurate diagnoses and nano-robots delivering targeted therapies. «Waiting lists for donor organs will be a thing of the past. Surgeons will 3D-print perfectly compatible organs from a patient’s own cells during an operation,» he shared.
He believes a new «eco-ethic» will emerge, where nature is seen as a partner. «The entire economy will be a closed-loop system. We might see ‘bio-contracts’ where you must plant a forest to earn the right to build a house. People will boast about the species they’ve saved, not the luxury brands they wear.»
«Perhaps the future I described seems like science fiction now. But I would very much like for the medical fantasies to become reality not in 25 years, but here and now», Nikolai Sidorenko concluded.
Care for Nature – The Key to Success
Mirzhalol Kosimov from Uzbekistan argued that the next 25 years will bring large-scale transformation through globalization, urbanization, and technological leaps. «Events like this festival stimulate the creation of new technologies and improve the quality of life. They are vital for humanity,» he said.
He emphasized that the most important aspect of a successful future is a careful attitude towards nature: «We are a part of nature. When we see it under threat, our instinct for self-preservation is triggered.»
The successful implementation of initiatives and the fight against global problems, according to Mirzhalol Kosimov, is only possible through the joint work and collaboration of countries and municipalities. In conclusion, he put forward several proposals:
He concluded with a proposal: «Uzbekistan calls for creating initiatives and programs aimed at improving quality of life, protecting nature, and uniting us through cultural dialogue as one family.»
A Future of Justice and Cooperation
The representative from Kazakhstan, Zhumabek Kazhygeldy from Almaty, presented justice as the foundation of the future world concept: «In this world, a person’s value will be determined not by their origin, but by their actions and ideas.»
According to Zhumabek, the cities of the future will be completely eco-friendly, and robots will perform routine tasks: «This will give people more time for travel and family.»
«The future depends on us—the youth. If we choose peace and cooperation today, we can ensure a bright tomorrow for everyone,» Zhumabek concluded.
«You have everything to make this world a better place»
Young people from Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Indonesia, and Turkey also presented their ideas for the future world. They were united in the belief that the best future is a world of equality, developed modern technologies, and preserved nature.
In his closing remarks, Mayor Ilsur Metshin said that he was sincerely impressed by the participants’ speeches.
«We, mayors, had high hopes for this festival, and today I personally felt the energy of the future from you. I was delighted to hear such profound and ambitious ideas. This confirms that a wonderful future awaits us in your hands,» the Mayor told the participants.
He singled out Nikolai Sidorenko’s speech, suggesting that people like him should be UN Secretaries-General, and praised Zhumabek Kazhygeldy’s emphasis on family as «absolutely right.»
«Each of you is an ambassador of friendship and a representative of your great nations. I am sure the state leaders who met in this hall a year ago would be proud to hear your visions for the world,» Metshin said.
He thanked them for their kind words about about the capital of Tatarstan and invited them to visit Kazan again, next time as students of the city’s universities.
«Dear friends, I wish you success. Set high goals for yourselves. The only limit is in your head; there is nothing that is impossible to achieve. Be bold, create and work hard. For now, your most important job is your education. You have everything to make this world a better place. I extend my gratitude to everyone who made your visit possible: the mayors and the leaders of your educational institutions. Please give my best wishes to your parents; they should be proud,» Metshin concluded.
The BRICS Youth Festival brought together 150 teenagers aged 14 to 17, representing 35 municipalities from 13 countries worldwide. The opening ceremony took place on Monday at the Galiaskar Kamal Theatre, and on Tuesday, the BRICS Youth Olympiad in Mathematics and Informatics was opened. On the same day, a meeting of the Committee on Youth Policy and Education of the BRICS+ Association of Cities and Municipalities was held at Kazan Federal University, where it was proposed to create a schoolchildren’s association.
And today, Festival participants will donate books they brought from their countries to School No. 107. This will create a BRICS+ Youth Library with youth publications from different countries. The festival will conclude with a grand gala concert featuring young performers from different countries, as well as the best youth and children’s creative groups of Kazan.
