‘All of Russia is now your friend,’ Putin tells participants of World Youth Festival

07.03.2024 09:26

Russian President Vladimir Putin at World Youth Festival in Sochi, March 6, 2024
Photo: Sputnik / Ramil Sitdikov

Russia sought to create conditions for friendship, creativity, and freedom for all the participants of its World Youth Festival (WYF), and hopes that this attempt was a success, President Vladimir Putin said at the closing ceremony on Wednesday.

Addressing the participants of the event in Sochi, the Russian leader said that all people are born equal, but grow and develop in unequal conditions. This is “the main injustice of the modern world,” Putin said, adding that today’s young people must strive to change that in the future.

“If you ask me, is it possible to create an environment where everyone is in equal conditions, grows and develops equally for the good of one’s family and humanity at large, then I’ll respond that I don’t know. But there’s one thing I know for sure – we should all strive to achieve that!” the president stressed.

Putin went on to say this would help to make the world more transparent, fair, sustainable, balanced, and democratic.

The president also noted that all the participants of the WYF now have many friends in Russia. “I want you to know that all of Russia is now your friend. Our doors are always open to you, to all of your noble endeavors. I’m confident your future will be full of success,” he said.

The Russian leader recalled that one of the mottos of the festival is ‘Let’s start our future together’, adding “So, let’s consider that the future has already started! But it’s up to you what it will look like!”

The WYF is being held in Sochi from March 1-7, bringing together some 20,000 young people selected from a vast pool of applicants. The festival hosts assorted cultural and sporting events, contests, exhibitions, and various panel discussions. After Sochi, WYF participants are scheduled to visit 30 cities across Russia from March 10-17.