Yamal hosts Russian North Forum involving Arctic and Far Eastern young people
In mid-November, Novy Urengoi hosted the 11th Russian North Forum at the Sova (Owl) art residence; the event involved 180 young representatives of small-numbered Northern peoples, public activists and volunteers from the Russian Arctic and the Far East for working on promising initiatives.
Organized by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, the event was also supported by the Government of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, and the Russian Association of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East.
Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Grigory Gurov noted that the Russian North Forum was serving as a platform for inter-cultural communications for the past 11 years. The event has involved over 2,000 people during this period and is becoming more popular each year. This time, over 1,000 candidates submitted their applications, and participants included representatives of over 30 peoples from Russian regions.
“Inter-ethnic unity is the main value of our state. Peoples who have been living together for ages jointly coped with challenges and shared their mutual joys. This historical bond is based on mutual respect and mutual assistance,” he noted.
The participants discussed ways of developing leadership skills, the implementation of the state ethnic policy, efforts to involve young people in volunteer activities and patriotic projects. This year’s educational program encompassed the following three key aspects: The Power of Traditions, the Energy of Development and the Road to Unity.
“It is very important to involve young people in social and public-political projects, to provide them with opportunities for direct dialogue and collaboration with public institutions, state agencies and industrial companies. This helps develop professional competences and opens up new horizons for personal improvement,” said Member of the Federation Council Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government and Northern Affairs – President of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation Alexander Novyukhov.
The event participants also prioritized measures to preserve and promote native languages of indigenous peoples. According to Head of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs Igor Barinov, the state policy aims to support the Russian language and to preserve the entire linguistic diversity.
“The languages of Russia’s peoples are a means of communication, and they also preserve traditions, experience and memory. Today, schools implement educational programs involving dozens of native languages, online dictionaries and digital resources are established, helping new generations fathom various traditions. Since 2023, the House of Peoples of Russia has been compiling teaching aids for mastering native languages and including them in the Yandex Translator online service. Nineteen Russian territories are helping create these teaching aids, and 34 languages, including five languages of small-numbered indigenous peoples, specifically, the Veps, Mansi, Nenets, Khanty and Chukotka languages,” Barinov noted.
The participants focused on strengthening international cooperation and developing international friendship clubs between Russian regions and foreign countries. As per instructions from President of Russia Vladimir Putin, they continue the Cultural Patronage program, and they are also called on to build upon the Russia in the World federal project, part of the Youth and Children national project, and to preserve the legacy of the World Festival of Youth, held in Russia in 2024. A total of 90 similar associations have opened across Russia in the past two years.
Lucas Garcia, an activist of the Yamal – Argentina international friendship club, also took part in the forum.
“I have been taking part for the second time, and it is a great honor for me to come back here. This is a unique platform for dialogue, cooperation and for implementing innovative ideas by young people. For 12 months, we maintain special ties with Yamal, thanks to our friendship club, and I am grateful for an opportunity to represent my country once again. I am deeply impressed by the culture of Northern people and their perception of the future,” he said.
The winners of the agency’s grant competition for small-numbered indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East were announced at the end of the forum. The following persons received project implementation certificates at the official awards ceremony: Anna Sotruyeva from Labutnangi, Vladimir Serotetto from Tyumen, Sergei Ak from the Republic of Buryatia, Diana Martynova from the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Elina Shlopova from the Komi Republic, Artyom Galantyuk from Khakassia and Maria Brovenko from the Khabarovsk Territory. In all, 2.7 million rubles were allocated; and 68 applications were submitted for the 2025 competition.
In 2015, Klyazma in the Moscow Region hosted the first Russian North Forum involving young people, members of small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. In 2020, it was held in Salekhard for the first time. Since 2021, Yamal has become a permanent site for holding this nationwide forum. In 2023, the Russian North Forum was listed among other forums of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs.