Introduction

The current stage of international relations is characterized by a profound transformation of the entire global architecture. The transition from a monocentric world order to a stable multipolar system is accompanied by a reassessment of the key factors underpinning state sovereignty and economic development. In this context, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) has long outgrown the boundaries of a purely financial and investment-focused platform. In 2026, the forum, held under the motto “Pragmatic Dialogue as a Path to a Stable Future,” clearly demonstrated that long-term stability is impossible without building strong humanitarian ties, with youth dialogue serving as one of their key components.

A special place within the forum’s structure has traditionally been occupied by International Youth Day, which in 2026 was given the symbolic title “Future Day.” Held on June 6, 2026, at the Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event served as a unique intellectual testing ground for shaping the contours of tomorrow. Bringing together young leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, and diplomats, Future Day offered participants not merely an opportunity to discuss current challenges, but also a platform for developing practical solutions in the fields of advanced technologies, education, environmental sustainability, and new forms of economic cooperation.

In an era of global instability and the institutional crisis of traditional international organizations, the younger generation is no longer viewed solely as an object of public policy or a passive recipient of knowledge. Today, youth have emerged as a strategic resource and an independent actor in international development. It is young professionals, distinguished by their digital agility, adaptability, and a mindset unburdened by the dogmas of the Cold War, who are becoming natural drivers of integration processes, fostering resilient horizontal ties among states and civilizations.

Future Day as a Platform for International Youth Engagement

The scale and geography of the Future Day participants at SPIEF 2026 confirm the relevance of Russian platforms for building constructive dialogue. More than 7,700 young people participated in the Youth Day: students from over 365 Russian and international universities, young researchers, entrepreneurs, non-profit leaders, and young civil servants. A key factor in the internationalization of the event was the active participation of foreign delegates, including those who arrived through the "New Generation" short-term study tour program to the Russian Federation.

The principal value of Future Day lies in its creation of a barrier-free environment for direct interaction among representatives of different countries. At a time when official channels of communication between a number of states remain limited, the SPIEF youth platform made it possible to establish resilient horizontal connections among representatives of:

  • the Russian Federation;
  • BRICS member states (including the association’s new members);
  • countries of the Asia-Pacific region;
  • African countries;
  • Latin America;
  • the Middle East.

A horizontal network structure of interaction has a fundamental advantage over traditional hierarchical ties: it is more resilient to external political pressure and is based on shared professional interests and a pragmatic drive for joint creation. Young entrepreneurs and scientists from countries of the Global South and Russia discussed at the Expoforum venues not abstract political declarations, but concrete projects in the field of technology transfer, joint startups, and educational consortia.

The transformation of the global system requires the search for new forms of international cooperation. At the sessions of the SPIEF 2026 Youth Day, the focus shifted from replicating Western models of globalization toward the development of sovereign yet partnership-oriented systems that remain open to cooperation. Young leaders agreed that the future architecture of the world order should be based on the principles of mutual respect for technological and cultural sovereignty, network equality, and a pragmatic project-based approach.

Key themes of the Future Day sessions

The business program of SPIEF 2026 Future Day covered a wide range of areas, structured into key thematic tracks. Each session was aimed at developing applied recommendations and finding responses to the most pressing civilizational challenges.

1. The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and rapid robotics development became cross-cutting themes of the discussions. Participants analyzed AI not only as a technological tool, but also as a factor of profound structural changes in the labor market and social sphere. The main focus was on discussing mechanisms to prevent data manipulation, protect the intellectual property of young developers, and combat misinformation; the creation of independent open platforms and big data libraries (open-source) that would allow BRICS+ countries to develop their own AI solutions without dependence on monopolistic Western IT giants; and the training of engineering personnel capable of integrating AI into the real sector of the economy (from the agricultural industry to heavy mechanical engineering).

2. The future of education and the training of a new generation of specialists. Discussions in this area were conducted in the context of implementing Russia’s new strategic national project “Youth and Children,” designed for the period up to 2030. According to forum participants, the educational model of the future must overcome the crisis of classical academicism through the integration of university programs with micro-qualifications and practical courses offered by IT companies and real business; the development of skills among young professionals for continuous retraining in conditions of exponential information growth; and the launch of joint dual-degree programs and research laboratories between universities in BRICS countries and Africa.

3. Particular attention at SPIEF 2026 was paid to practical support for young entrepreneurs. One of the central events was the presentation of the “Young Market” project, which brought together around 1,000 young producers from 75 regions of Russia. Within the business sessions, the following topics were discussed:

  • Social mobility channels for startups: mechanisms of venture financing, grant support, and the provision of free digital storefronts on major marketplaces to promote local brands;
  • Cross-border e-commerce: overcoming logistical and payment barriers in exporting products of young entrepreneurs to friendly countries;
  • Youth business ecosystem: the creation of a mentorship infrastructure in which experienced market players help emerging startups scale their ideas into sustainable businesses.

4. Digital diplomacy and international communications. The transformation of the media space is setting new rules for the conduct of foreign policy. Traditional media are giving way to decentralized information channels — bloggers, opinion leaders, and expert communities on social networks. The digital diplomacy sessions addressed the following aspects: the development of independent media platforms that broadcast an objective picture of the world and counter coordinated disinformation campaigns; the promotion by young people of national values, historical heritage, and scientific achievements through modern multimedia formats (podcasts, video games, interactive projects); and the balance between the speed of information dissemination by online creators and responsibility for its accuracy.

5. The role of youth in strengthening a multipolar world and humanitarian cooperation. The key conceptual highlight of the track was the session “The World of the Future: A Youth Laboratory of a New World Order.” Its participants agreed that the formation of multipolarity is not merely a redistribution of economic resources, but the creation of a new philosophy of international coexistence.

Youth as a Factor of Global Change

The tectonic shifts taking place on the geopolitical stage are forcing a rethinking of the agency of generations. Contemporary youth are becoming the main driver of international projects and public initiatives due to several fundamental characteristics of their generation.

First, an important role is played by the natural digitalization of this generation, which has formed in the era of advanced information technologies and can be described as “digital citizens” (Digital Natives). In international cooperation, this characteristic manifests itself in the ability for instantaneous cross-border communication and the active implementation of decentralized IT solutions. The main outcome of such integration for the world order is the creation of horizontal networks of interaction that function independently of traditional, often overly bureaucratic international institutions.

Secondly, the new generation is characterized by freedom from the cognitive patterns of the past. Young people are not burdened by the political stereotypes of the bipolar confrontation era and the Cold War, and instead are guided by a pragmatic and de-ideologized approach to addressing current challenges. In global politics, this is expressed in their readiness to engage in open, equal dialogue with all civilizational partners, respecting their sovereignty and unique historical trajectories.

Thirdly, a key advantage is the high project mobility of young professionals. They are easily integrated into international project teams, quickly adapt to changing conditions, and are able to promptly redistribute roles and the focus of their activities in order to achieve a common goal. This flexibility contributes to the dynamic development of cross-border startups, joint technological enterprises, and flexible research consortia, which respond more quickly and effectively to global challenges.

The growing importance of youth diplomacy is driven by the crisis of traditional diplomatic formats. While official agencies are constrained by strict protocols and political limitations, youth public platforms are more flexible. They are able to rapidly launch humanitarian projects, conduct scientific colloquia, and implement environmental programs, maintaining channels of communication between societies even during periods of acute interstate crises.

The influence of youth communities on the formation of new international ties today is taking place outside traditional politics. This is reflected in the phenomenon of “Track II Diplomacy,” where the drivers are not career diplomats, but young IT entrepreneurs, environmental activists, urbanists, and cultural figures. By creating joint digital products, addressing transboundary environmental challenges, or exchanging technologies in the field of smart cities, they are de facto consolidating the foundation of future multipolar interaction at the grassroots level.

International Youth Cooperation as a Tool for Sustainable Development

The youth agenda of SPIEF 2026 is closely intertwined with the goals of sustainable development, reinterpreted through the prism of sovereign equality of states. In the context of fragmentation of the global technological and economic space, youth cooperation is becoming a channel for the transfer of knowledge and technologies, preventing the intellectual isolation of regions.

The development of educational, scientific, and cultural exchanges acts as a long-term investment in stability. When a young researcher from India, China, Egypt, or Brazil undertakes an internship at a leading Russian research center (or vice versa), it does not merely create a professional connection. It establishes a shared value-based and conceptual framework. Scientific exchanges in the fields of materials science, nuclear physics, medicine, and biotechnology enable young scientists to jointly address global challenges — from the search for new energy sources to combating pandemics.

The most important practical vector is joint applied projects. Within Future Day, initiatives were presented in the following areas:

  • Environment and climate. The meeting of the climate club “Sustainable Management of Water Resources in Coastal Cities,” where young urbanists and climatologists proposed concrete engineering solutions for adapting megacities to climate change;
  • Media and creative industries. The creation of joint youth media hubs of BRICS+ countries for the production of popular science and cultural-educational content;
  • Technological entrepreneurship. The launch of cross-border startup incubators enabling new IT solutions to be tested simultaneously in the markets of several friendly states.

In conditions of global instability, the importance of direct dialogue is growing critically. The absence of intermediaries in communication among young leaders minimizes the risks of information distortion and manipulation of public opinion. Personal contact established on the sidelines of SPIEF helps dismantle artificial barriers and form a high level of interpersonal trust, which in the long term evolves into intergovernmental trust.

The Role of Russia and Russian Platforms in Shaping International Youth Dialogue

The Russian Federation has been consistently strengthening its status as one of the world’s leading hubs for attracting active and talented youth. The SPIEF platform serves as a key element of this strategy, offering foreign partners not dominance, but an open, equal, and constructive dialogue.

The particular interest of foreign youth in cooperation with Russia is driven by several factors. Russia demonstrates a high degree of resilience and the ability to develop advanced technologies (from nuclear energy to AI and cybersecurity) in an autonomous mode. This makes the Russian experience highly attractive for countries of the Global South seeking to reduce their technological dependence on Western platforms. Russia positions itself as a civilization-state offering an alternative to homogenizing Western globalization. Youth from Asia, Africa, and Latin America see Russia as a partner that respects their civilizational identity and sovereign path of development. The expansion of quotas for international students, the launch of double-degree programs, and internship opportunities create real channels for the professional self-realization of foreign students in the Russian Federation.

A key factor in the continuity of humanitarian initiatives is the legacy of the World Youth Festival. On the sidelines of SPIEF 2026, the official branding of the upcoming International Youth Festival 2026 was presented. International Friendship Clubs, established following previous festivals, are actively developing. These clubs, operating in all regions of Russia, serve as permanent platforms for cultural mentorship, joint social projects, and the maintenance of contacts between young people from more than 100 countries around the world.

Youth initiatives supported at the state level by Roscongress and Rosmolodezh make a significant contribution to overcoming artificial isolation and fostering a climate of mutual trust. They demonstrate to the international community that Russia is open to cooperation, ready to share its expertise, and committed to jointly building a fair multipolar world together with its partners.

Conclusion

Summing up the results of the “Future Day” at the XXIX St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, it can be stated with confidence that this event became not only a vivid part of the business program, but also an important indicator of deep sociopolitical processes.

The Forum clearly demonstrated that youth today are not an abstract “future,” but an active architect of the current world order. The ability of young leaders to rapidly adapt to technological change, their pragmatic commitment to creation and cooperation despite artificial political barriers, makes youth communities a crucial cornerstone for the emerging architecture of international relations.

In order for this enormous potential to be fully realized, systematic and comprehensive support for youth platforms is required from both states and large businesses. This implies:

  • Expansion of funding for joint research projects and startups;
  • Institutionalization of international academic and professional mobility programs;
  • Creation of sustainable legal and financial mechanisms to support cross-border youth entrepreneurship.

The multipolar world, the contours of which are being shaped today, requires new rules of the game based on pragmatic dialogue, mutual respect, and technological cooperation. The young participants of SPIEF 2026 have demonstrated by their example that they are ready to assume responsibility for the development and implementation of these rules, acting as reliable co-authors of a stable and secure future for the entire planet.