Russia’s Youth Forum Is Blending AI, Climate Action, and Career Hacking on an Island

The OstroVa forum on Sakhalin combines drone tech and ocean cleanups—and Gen Z is all in.

From September 28 to October 5, more than 500 students, young professionals, scientists, and volunteers will gather in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk for OstroVa, a national youth forum hosted by the Rosmolodyozh.Forums platform. But this isn't your typical classroom-style event.

This year’s edition goes beyond lectures and networking: participants will hit the coastline for an eco-action campaign, cleaning up marine debris as part of a hands-on climate initiative. It’s where career-building meets planet-healing—and it’s all happening at the edge of Russia’s Far East.

The agenda offers a sweeping range of topics for attendees aged 14 to 35, from climate and ecology to artificial intelligence, hydrogen energy, autonomous systems, medicine, construction, and the creative industries. There’ll be career coaching, visits to the cutting-edge innovation center SakhalinTech, and personalized development tracks for each participant.

“It’s a space where young people don’t just learn about the future—they start building it,” say organizers.

Registration is open until July 28 at ostrova-forum.ru.

At its core, OstroVa is more than a youth forum. It’s a launchpad for Gen Z to shape the technologies, industries, and ecosystems they’ll inherit—starting with the shoreline.