Negney Novgorod – Ali Hussein
The activities of the World Youth Festival 2025 in the Russian city of Nijni Novgorod, with the participation of about 2000 young men and women from Russia and 120 countries.
Bahrain’s participation in this global event emerged through Dr. Walaa Hassan, the Bahraini youth ambassador for the year 2023, who won the extraordinary volunteer award from His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa in 2024, and the Bahraini young woman Rabab Khalaf, where they presented qualitative experiences that reflect the role of Bahraini youth in education, scientific research and community development.
The doctor, Walaa Hassan, confirmed that her participation focused on the education, science and research sector, considering that education is a tool to build international relations, enhance sustainable development and exchange experiences.
She said: “We discussed during the workshops the importance of employing artificial intelligence and nerve technology to develop education, especially in medical specialties, so that the educational experience becomes more effective.”
She also praised the nature of the Russian city and the warmth of the reception it received, stressing that the experience strengthened its conviction that the youth are able to communicate and exchange experiences despite their different languages and cultures.
For her part, Rabab Khalaf stressed that the festival was not just a cultural meeting, but rather a station to enhance awareness of the importance of empowering young people as a major engine for social and economic growth.
She said: “Every Bahraini young man is an ambassador to his country, and these global platforms are an opportunity to highlight the energies of youth and confirm that the success of the individual is a national achievement.”
During the five days, the festival witnessed a wide package of events, which included entrepreneurship and digital innovation through the Entrepreneurial School launched by the Avito platform, where the participants learned how to launch projects with limited funding, brand marketing, and building creative content on social media.
Digital media sessions were also organized for foreign specialists, to introduce them to the standards of Russian media, information verification tools and the production of digital content.
On the cultural level, a session entitled “From Language to Cooperation” was held in which young people from Russia, Pakistan, Serbia, Afghanistan and Belarus presented innovative projects to enhance the Russian language globally, including electronic educational games and cultural and tourism initiatives.
In the sports and artistic field, the festival hosted the international champion in mixed martial arts, Jeff Monson, who talked about perseverance and the realization of dreams, while the More Than Trip platform presented an open evening evening with the artist Staas Moore, attended by more than 300 young men to enjoy songs that reflect the values of the family, friendship and ambition, and open the way to build international friendships.
The festival also witnessed a discussion session entitled “The Soft Power of Youth” with the participation of experts from Russia, Mexico, Slovakia and South Ossetia, where the focus was on the role of youth in social and political change globally, and the importance of supporting youth initiatives and enhancing national values.
The festival concluded its activities by emphasizing its role in empowering young people and building a common future, while Russia is preparing to host a smaller festival in 2026 with the participation of 10,000 young people, with the large festival returning in 2030 with the wide participation of young people around the world
