The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Russia Centre for Commerce and Relations, John Aggrey, says the ongoing 2026 International Festival of Youth (IYF) in Russia could open pathways to business partnerships, scholarships and joint ventures for Ghanaian participants.

Over 20 Ghanaian youth are participating in the festival, which is taking place in Ekaterinburg, Russia, from September 11 to 17, 2026.

Speaking in an interview with MyJoyOnline on the sidelines of the festival, Mr Aggrey said the event provided Ghanaian youth with a rare opportunity to build international networks in entrepreneurship, technology, media, education and culture.

“For Ghanaian youth, IYF 2026 is a rare, concentrated opportunity. The festival spans entrepreneurship, technology, media, education and culture, the exact sectors where our young people have talent but often lack the international networks to scale it,” he said.

Mr Aggrey explained that interactions between Ghanaian participants and their international counterparts could produce concrete opportunities beyond the festival.

“A Ghanaian delegate who sits across from a Russian tech founder or entrepreneur this week isn’t just having a cultural exchange; they’re forming the kind of relationship that turns into a business partnership, a scholarship lead or a joint venture two or three years from now,” he stated.

He described such opportunities as the long-term value of international youth gatherings, noting that their benefits often take time to materialise.

“That is the quiet, longer-term value of these festivals. It rarely pays off on the day, but the benefits compound,” he said.

The 2026 festival has brought together 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries, comprising 5,000 Russian and 5,000 international participants.

Ghana is represented alongside several other African countries, including Togo, Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco, South Africa, The Gambia, Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Niger, Zimbabwe, Libya, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Mr Aggrey said the participation of young Africans demonstrated their determination to play active roles in international affairs.

“Ghana is represented alongside a strong contingent of African nations. That tells you something: young Africans, especially young Ghanaians, are no longer waiting to be invited into global conversations; they are actively seeking their own destinies at the table,” he said.

He noted that the mandate of the Ghana Russia Center for Commerce and Relations was to transform goodwill and interpersonal connections into concrete commercial and institutional partnerships.

According to him, the Centre is particularly interested in promoting trade, investment, education and technology cooperation between Ghana and Russia.

“Every young Ghanaian who returns from Ekaterinburg with new contacts and new ideas becomes a potential bridge for that work,” he said.

Mr Aggrey added that while bilateral relations were supported by agreements between governments, sustained interactions among citizens made those relationships more durable.

“Bilateral relations are sustained by government-to-government agreements, but they are made durable by exactly this kind of grassroots familiarity between citizens,” he stated.

He said Ghana’s participation in the festival was, therefore, significant to the future direction of relations between Accra and Moscow.

The International Festival of Youth is being held under the motto “Follow Your Dream” and features activities covering entrepreneurship, science, education, digital technology, media, culture, sport and civic engagement.