Published on: 2026-08-20
Source: Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova took part in the solemn opening ceremony of the anniversary 5th International Children’s Cultural Forum at the Moscow Palace of Pioneers.
“This year, the International Children’s Cultural Forum celebrates its first anniversary – we are turning five years old. Today, thousands of talented children from all regions of our country and from 17 countries around the world have gathered here. Ahead lie two days of educational, enlightening, and creative meetings, where everyone will be able to show the best of their abilities and receive important professional advice from outstanding mentors. The forum takes on special significance in the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia: each of you will present a piece of your people’s culture. I am confident these will be bright and unforgettable days. Wishing you a good journey and success!” – said Tatyana Golikova.
The forum will take place over two days, August 20 and 21, and will bring together more than 1,800 participants aged 12 to 17. All the kids took part in the solemn opening ceremony of the event. To the song “And I walk, marching through Moscow,” columns of participants passed over the square in front of the Moscow Palace of Pioneers, and to the melody of the composition “My Homeland” the children, together with national ensembles, took part in a dance flash mob.
At the opening ceremony, the hosts introduced the curators of the creative directions. The “Music” direction is curated by Olga Khomova, General Director of the State Academic Chapel of Saint Petersburg and Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation; “Choreography” by choreographer and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Egor Druzhinin; “Theater and Circus” by Sergey Bezrukov, Artistic Director of the M.Gorky Moscow Art Theatre and People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, and Edgard Zapashny, General Director of the Bolshoi Moscow State Circus on Vernadsky Avenue and People’s Artist of the Russian Federation; “Literature and Journalism” by Dmitry Bak, Director of the State Museum of the History of Russian Literature named after V.I. Dahl; “Museums and Fine Arts” direction by Kristina Trubinova, General Director of the State Central Theatre Museum named after A.A. Bakhrushin; and the “Cinema and Animation” direction is curated by Gavriil Gordeev, General Producer of Okko, President and Ideologue of the International Festival of Children’s and Family Cinema and Animation “Medvezhonok”.
Over the course of two days, curators and invited experts will hold meetings, practical workshops, and open dialogues. Participants will be able to ask them questions, learn more about various creative professions, and receive advice from those already working in the fields of culture and media.
The forum program features more than 60 events in total.
In addition, the forum summed up the results of the Children’s Initiatives Competition in the field of culture and art development. In 2026, 36 applications were received for the competition from 30 regions of Russia, and 13 projects reached the semi-finals. Four finalists were determined after several stages of selection. The key theme of the competition this year is “Unity of the Peoples of Russia.” The finalists presented their projects and defended them before the expert jury.
“Guys, you are great! Thank you very much. All of us, the jury members and the entire audience, sincerely cared about you and were happy for you because you prepared and made an effort. It is very emotional. And most importantly – you managed to embody the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. Each of you was able to present what is characteristic specifically of your region and the ethnic groups living in it. It was very difficult for us to choose a winner: all four projects are different, creative in their own way, and each has its own special touch,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova.
The winners are:
Grigory Shabunin from the Tomsk region, who presented the project “Songs of the Peoples of Siberia. A New Breath.” His idea is to give the folk songs of the Siberian people a modern sound while preserving their original melody, language, and artistic foundation. The result is intended to be an album, which the author plans to present in the format of a live concert;
Sofya Shibaeva from the Chelyabinsk region. She presented a capsule collection of contemporary clothing “From Pestrya to the Runway: the Nagaybak Code in Modern Fashion.” The collection is inspired by the traditional Nagaybak folk costume;
Anna Minina from Arkhangelsk Oblast with an animated film based on Stepan Pisakhov’s fairy tale “Northern Lights”;
Mikhail Krisko from the Kemerovo region. He presented the project “Native Word,” which combines three formats: an interactive electronic glossary with equivalents of Anglicisms in the languages of the peoples of Russia, a series of animated videos clearly demonstrating the use of these words in teenagers’ dialogues, as well as an educational board card game “Speak Your Own.”
The winners will receive organizational and financial support from the Ministry of Culture for the further implementation of their projects.
The forum organizers are the Ministry of Culture, the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Culture “Rosconcert,” and the Public Organization “Russian Cultural Foundation.”
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.