Over 600 People Take Part in First Youth Arctic Delphic Games

The first Youth Arctic Delphic Games were held in the Komi Republic city of Syktyvkar on 24–28 November. More than 600 artists aged 10 to 25 competed in 10 disciplines of folk, modern, and artistic creativity.

“In recent years, the Delphic Games have proven to be one of the most popular venues, which helps to identify young talent and unique specialists, and has a positive impact on the development of creative industries and event tourism. The role of the Delphic Games is particularly valuable in promoting youth policy, preserving heritage, and shaping a respectful attitude towards culture. I am certain that the Arctic track of the Delphic Games has helped to draw attention to this region, contributed to the development and promotion of the applied arts of the peoples of the North, and also introduced the general public to the cultural diversity and traditions of people living in high latitudes,” Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials and Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Cooperation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nikolay Korchunov said.

The participants in the games competed for 28 sets of awards. The nominations included piano, violin, pop and folk singing, folk dance, photography, fine and culinary arts, folk instruments, as well as artistic crafts. The panel of judges was comprised of roughly 40 cultural and scientific figures.

An international conference was also held during the two days of the games. The central themes of the conference were a discussion of Arctic culture and the development of a new format for the Delphic Games. In addition, the organizers implemented a special project called ‘Race on Hunting Skis’, which provided all the Delphic Games participants with an opportunity to learn about the traditions of the Komi.

The first Youth Arctic Delphic Games culminated with a closing ceremony and gala concert for the winners of the games. The ceremony was attended by the Head of the Komi Republic Vladimir Uyba and the International Delphic Committee Director Vladimir Ponyavin. The gala concert featured the gold medal winners of the Delphic Games, who showed off their skills on a special concert stage that was adapted for performances of various genres as part of a single concert.

The creative competitions were part of the Creative People regional project of the national Culture project. The games aimed to promote the implementation of the decrees of Russian President Vladimir Putin “On the Strategy for the Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation and Ensuring National Security for the Period until 2035” and “On the Year of Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of Russia in the Russian Federation”.

The games were organized by the National Delphic Council of Russia and the Government of the Komi Republic in cooperation with the federal authorities of the Russian Federation. The competitions were held under the patronage of the International Delphic Committee under the auspices of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO.

The Delphic Games consist of complex competitions in art as well as applied and exploratory creativity. The games are part of a global system that aims to search for and support young talent, ensure the self-fulfilment of young people in artistic, scientific, technical, and creative fields, and educate the younger generation.

Russia is the chair of the Arctic Council in 2021–2023. As chair, Russia aims to promote the fulfilment of youth potential in the Arctic, ensure their access to education, as well as expand and strengthen youth exchanges in a wide range of areas, including volunteering, entrepreneurship, the development of creative industries, the environment, and the improvement of urban areas. Russia supports the Arctic Council’s educational projects for Indigenous children ‘Children of the Arctic’, ‘Nomadic School’, and ‘International Arctic School’, among others, while advocating for the development of cooperation and the exchange of experience in this area. In addition, Russia is in favour of developing and implementing special programmes, professional championships, and training that focus on the country’s northern regions. The Roscongress Foundation manages the events of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council.