Minsk will become the CIS Youth Capital in 2027

The selected cities have significant and universally applicable experience in working with young people, as well as youth social initiatives and a rich cultural life. They are developing the necessary infrastructure for young people's activities and supporting international youth cooperation.

Minsk's proposal to become the "Youth Capital of the CIS" is based on the city's high potential as a platform for developing youth cooperation and implementing youth initiatives. The Belarusian capital is home to the largest number of higher education institutions in Belarus, where students from the CIS member states study and implement various international projects.

The city has a modern infrastructure, including sports facilities, cultural centers, coworking spaces, and youth spaces, which allow for large-scale international youth events. Minsk has repeatedly hosted meetings of the Council on Youth Affairs of the CIS Member States, the Forum of Youth Public Associations of the CIS Countries, an exhibition and presentation of the results of the international youth project "100 Ideas for the CIS," and several other large-scale youth events.

In turn, Karaganda is one of the largest and historically significant cities in Kazakhstan, which has a strategic location in the center of the country, making it convenient for communication with other regions of Kazakhstan and the Commonwealth countries. Karaganda is a multicultural city that promotes tolerance and cultural exchange, and has a rich potential as a platform for intercultural projects within the CIS. The city actively supports youth organizations that focus on education, cultural activities, and social engagement, as well as international projects and forums. Work is constantly being carried out to improve the environmental situation and quality of life in the city, and young people are actively involved in this work.

The international project "CIS Youth Capital" is being implemented in accordance with the decision of the Council of CIS Heads of Government dated May 20, 2022. It aims to involve the younger generation of citizens in the implementation of programs for sustainable development in all areas of interstate relations.

The project is implemented in the countries of the Commonwealth in the order of the Russian alphabet of the names of the states. It provides for the holding of an exhibition-presentation of the CIS Youth Capital, as well as other events aimed at young people and involving young people from the member states of the Commonwealth. Preference is given to events that are unique for the CIS, aimed at developing partnerships with countries, including international youth cooperation, are innovative, have a targeted audience, and involve young people in local community management.

The city that has received the status of the CIS Youth Capital is granted the right to host a meeting of the Council on Youth Affairs and a Forum of youth public organizations of the CIS member states.

 The first city to implement the CIS Youth Capital project in 2024 was Tashkent (Republic of Uzbekistan).