4th BRICS International Youth Camp Kicks off in Ulyanovsk Region

The 4th BRICS International Youth Camp got under way in Ulyanovsk on 22 August 2024. The camp is attended by 25 young representatives of creative professions from BRICS countries and will last until 25 August.

The camp programme aims to create multinational teams for joint creative projects and to solve practical problems.

This year, the central theme of the event is ‘Designing Public Spaces’. The participants will create art objects that display the picturesque landscape of the Ulyanovsk Region. They will pay particular attention to the promotion of Undoria Geopark with its long-standing geological heritage of international and regional importance.

The opening ceremony of the camp took place at the “Svoya Ferma” farm. The organizers say this year’s camp is not only unique in terms of its new location, but also due to the participation of representatives of new states that became BRICS members in January 2024.

The camp participants were welcomed by Ulyanovsk Region Governor Alexey Russkikh, who noted that the official opening of the event coincided with a major Russian holiday: the Day of the State Flag of Russia.

“The BRICS association is committed to the values of equal dialogue and cooperation, mutually welcoming unique cultures and distinctive civilizations, as evidenced by the vitality of the BRICS concept, and the genuine openness of creative thinkers to an inclusive dialogue. The association’s role is growing, as is the involvement of young people from BRICS countries in fostering positive global changes. It is a great honour for us to annually hold such an important event for the entire BRICS [community] here, on the hospitable Ulyanovsk land,” Russkikh said.

Acting Director of the Russian Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Denis Ashirov addressed the audience by video.

“BRICS cooperation is a priority for youth policy. It is particularly important during the year of Russia’s chairship. BRICS is not just a group of countries; it unites true like-minded people, who share such principles as mutual respect and the right to develop based on national aspirations, culture, and traditions. This year, the theme of the BRICS Camp is creative economy, which is the driving force behind innovation, economic development, and cultural progress. We face the task of preserving the country’s cultural code and shaping its international image. And creative potential is our main strength in this regard. I am glad that you, the young people of BRICS, are the ones who are the driving force in shaping the image of our future based on common values,” Ashirov said.

Representatives of all the countries also made welcoming remarks.

Following the opening ceremony, the young leaders split into several teams that will develop art objects that reflect the traditional cultural and historical values of BRICS countries. In addition to practical classes, educational sessions, panel discussions, thematic lectures, and team building sections, the participants will take sightseeing trips to beautiful and iconic places in the Ulyanovsk Region.

The BRICS International Youth Camp is being organized by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs together with the Russia-BRICS Project Office for International Youth Cooperation (Ulyanovsk), the Creative Industries Fund of the Ulyanovsk Region, and the Ulyanovsk Region government. The camp is part of the plan of events of Russia’s BRICS Chairship in 2024, which are being managed by the Roscongress Foundation.