Participants in the 2026 International Festival of Youth have planted 50 trees near the main building of Ural Federal University in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The initiative, known as the “Alley of the Cultural Code”, brought together young festival participants, government officials and representatives of major companies and organisations.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Head of Russia’s Presidential Directorate for Social Projects, Sergei Novikov, said the alley would serve as a lasting reminder of the young people from around the world who attended the festival.

“This alley will keep growing and blossoming. Students coming to Ekaterinburg and UrFU from all over the country will walk along it and remember that you were here, the young people from around the world who came to the Festival in 2026,” he said.

Deputy Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region Sergei Nikonov said planting the trees was intended to create a legacy that would endure for generations.

“We are glad that our region has become the place where tens of thousands of talented and energetic people have come together,” he said.

“But, of course, the Festival should leave a legacy, and a tree is something that lasts across several generations.”

Two-time Olympic champion and nine-time world champion gymnast Svetlana Khorkina also participated in the exercise.

Earlier, she had led a masterclass for more than 500 children and teenagers as part of the festival’s activities.

Khorkina likened the training session to planting the alley, saying both activities were designed to motivate the younger generation and nurture future talent.

The tree-planting ceremony was broadcast live on outdoor digital screens in Ekaterinburg and Moscow.

Organisers said the plants selected for the alley had symbolic meanings. The apple tree represents fertility, love and knowledge, while the bird cherry symbolises purity and youth. The hydrangea represents warmth and hospitality.

The ceremony was accompanied by performances featuring European classical music, Latin American dance and African folk songs.

The International Festival of Youth is taking place in Ekaterinburg from September 11 to 17, 2026, under the theme, “Follow Your Dream”.

The event has attracted 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries, comprising 5,000 Russians and 5,000 international participants.

They include representatives from the creative arts, public administration, science and education, sport, entrepreneurship, media, digitalisation, information technology and civic engagement.

The festival also includes 1,000 teenagers aged between 14 and 17, with 500 drawn from Russia and another 500 from other countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the decree establishing the festival on December 29, 2025, as part of efforts to promote international youth cooperation.