Siberia to Build $65 Million Youth Center to Foster Patriotism and State Values

Officials in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia have announced a plan for a $65 million youth center designed to foster patriotic education and promote government-approved values among Russian youth.

As stated in a government tender released this week, the facility, referred to as the «Youth Palace,» will be constructed in a square along the Yenisei River in Krasnoyarsk.

The regional authorities are currently inviting bids for the project, which is budgeted at 5.2 billion rubles. Construction is anticipated to commence in 2026 and should be completed by October 2028.

This center will act as a central hub for the Movement of the First, a youth organization supported by the Kremlin, which was established by presidential decree following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The movement aims to engage youth in government-sanctioned volunteer initiatives while advocating for what President Vladimir Putin has described as “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”

The organization received more than $190 million in government funding in 2023, according to its previous leader.

The Youth Palace will comprise two buildings with a total area of nearly 30,000 square meters. One building will include a concert hall, exhibition space, coworking areas, and training centers focused on first aid, financial literacy, and inter-ethnic cultural dialogue.

The second building will feature laboratories for media, IT, automotive design, and renewable energy, as well as classrooms dedicated to drone and robotics programs.

Additionally, there are plans for a three-story training facility, accommodations similar to hotel rooms, and an outdoor «Patriot» park that will include areas for walking, extreme sports, and military-themed activities.

Funding for the project will be provided through a subsidy from the regional budget, with approval from the federal government.

Putin personally endorsed the initiative in March, during a meeting with Krasnoyarsk Governor Mikhail Kotyukov, who characterized the center as a venue “with a patriotic emphasis” aimed at helping “realize the aspirations of young talents.”

Initially, the site had been designated for a contemporary art venue named the Pozdeev Center and a new campus for the regional Choreography College. However, both proposals were abandoned after a local court nullified their state contracts due to bidding process irregularities, leading to the land being repurposed for youth development in September 2024.

Bidding for the construction tender will remain open until August 13, as reported by the local news source ngs24.