Bangladeshi student Halima Yesmin Mukta, who is pursuing a Master’s in Tourism and Sports Management at Lithuanian Sports University in Kaunas, Lithuania, has been selected as a fully funded participant for the International Festival of Youth 2026 in Russia.
The festival will take place in Yekaterinburg from 11 to 17 September. Russia’s Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, Rosmolodezh, and the World Youth Festival Directorate are organising the event, which is expected to bring together 10,000 young people from around the world.
Mukta applied in February under the “Creative Industries” and “Media-Digitalisation & IT” categories. Following a selection process involving applicants from 191 countries, she secured top-tier selection status. According to the event’s press team, the organisers will cover her travel and hotel accommodation, while visa fees have been waived for international participants.
The event will bring together young leaders from 190 countries, with 5,000 international participants expected to attend.
According to the festival’s press team, 90 delegates from Bangladesh will ultimately be selected as the final vetting process concludes.
Before moving to Europe, Mukta completed her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting at Lalmatia Government Women’s College. She also gained professional experience in Bangladesh’s tourism sector, working as a Visa Processing Analyst at ShareTrip and Wings Travels.
Mukta said she had almost forgotten about her application and had no expectations of being selected as a fully funded participant. She said she was proud to have the opportunity to represent Bangladesh and showcase its culture and the potential of its young people to an international audience.
At the festival, she plans to build connections with young people from around the world, learn from industry experts and meet potential investors. Her long-term goal is to launch her own tourism venture in Bangladesh after completing her studies.
