In September, Yekaterinburg hosted the International Youth Festival (IYF) 2026, bringing together 10,000 young people from 191 countries. Rosatom served as the event’s general partner.
Rosatom organized business sessions, scientific discussions, masterclasses, and cultural events at the festival, featuring over 50 speakers and experts from the nuclear industry and media sector. The finals of three major international competitions were also held during the festival. The nuclear corporation’s international youth delegation included nearly 300 members.
The Rosatom Student Community, ambassadors of Russian nuclear education, and youth councils at Rosatom enterprises helped deliver the company’s festival program. At Rosatom’s stand, these young people introduced nuclear technologies to festival participants and senior executives from major companies, sharing personal stories of how they joined Rosatom and built their lives around it. They also ran workshops for schoolchildren.
The final of the Global HackAtom student championship brought together over 80 winners of national stages from 15 countries. The Russian team Beyond the Mind took first place with their futuristic concept of Electromorsk, an offshore smart city powered by an integrated small modular nuclear reactor. Second place went to a team from the University of Zululand in South Africa, which proposed a concept for a ‘nuclear city’ in southeastern Africa. Third place was awarded to the Nuclear Nomad team from Kyrgyzstan for their concept of an autonomous floating city.
A total of 2,500 candidates aged 18 to 35 competed for a spot on the Icebreaker of Knowledge 2027 research expedition. The winners in the expert category were representatives from Spain, India, Russia, and North Macedonia. The first six participants of the Atom 2050 initiative were also selected, hailing from Brazil, Indonesia, Lebanon, Russia, and Uzbekistan. The full team will comprise 100 members, with the rest to be selected later. In 2027, the team will embark on technical tours of Rosatom’s facilities, meet with experts, and visit knowledge laboratories. The goal of this initiative is to answer a complex question of what the world could look like by 2050 and what role nuclear and related technologies would play in its development.
Rosatom and Russia’s Znanie (Knowledge) Society organized the Knowledge.First marathon featuring Dmitry Nikitin, captain of the Yakutia nuclear icebreaker. The Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) hosted a session titled “Skills of the Future: Dialogue Without Ties,” where Rosatom representatives discussed the skills in demand across diplomacy, business, and technology. They concluded that critical thinking is the most crucial skill in the age of artificial intelligence.
The festival also hosted the open stage of the Nuclear Dictation 2026 international educational initiative. Participants answered 20 questions about the history of the nuclear industry, scientific discoveries, and advanced technologies.
Seven events were organized as part of Obninsk Tech, a joint initiative of Rosatom and Russia’s top technical universities. For instance, the Study in Russia session featured university rectors and international students sharing insights on studying and living in Russia, seasonal schools, internships, on-site training, technical tours, and networked educational programs. In the interactive zone, festival participants had a chance to earn points and exchange them for souvenirs. Five winners received vouchers for summer and winter schools of science and technology in Obninsk.
In the Welcoming Lounge, winners of the Atoms of Taste: Culinary Heritage of Rosatom Communities competition offered festival attendees a tasting of lemonades and wafer rolls made from family recipes from Obninsk, culinary souvenirs from Glazov, and coffee from Sarov (all three being host communities for nuclear facilities – Ed.). The Tours of Opportunities offered a chance to explore the nature, history, and culture of host communities. The festival also featured performances by Rosatom’s children’s symphony orchestra and the Nuclear Kids theater with their Who Are You? musical show.
“For me, the festival is about the energy that young people bring. This is the future that you can feel everywhere here. It is about the tremendous opportunities our country is showcasing to the world. And, of course, this is a source of pride for Russia and for Rosatom. I know no other country that is so open and provides young people with such incredible opportunities,” said Tatiana Terentyeva, Deputy Director General for Human Resources at Rosatom.
Photo by: Rusatom International Network; Rosatom Corporate Academy
