On 12 October 2026, the award ceremony for the winners of international youth festival held under the patronage of UNESCO THE PLANET OF ART – 2026, an and an exhibition of finalists’ artworks took place at the Almaty Museum of Arts. The festival is organised by the Kazakhstan National Federation of Clubs for UNESCO and the World Federation of Clubs and Associations for UNESCO (WFUCA), in collaboration with the Almaty Museum of Arts.

In 2026, the festival is dedicated to the theme “The Role of Women in Safeguarding and Promoting UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage” and marks the 80th anniversary of UNESCO and the 45th anniversary of the World Federation of Clubs and Associations for UNESCO (WFUCA). Thousands of children and young artists aged 3 to 18 from 54 countries took part in the competition. Following the jury’s selection, approximately 400 international participants advanced to the final, presenting artworks that highlighted the role of women as guardians of traditions and the cultural memory of peoples.

“Bringing together more than 100,000 participants from over 90 countries, THE PLANET OF ART has demonstrated that art is not merely a form of self-expression, but also a tool for international dialogue and the preservation of cultural heritage. Its core mission is to nurture a generation that not only values its own culture but also respects the cultural diversity of the world. Lasting peace begins with this kind of mutual understanding,” said Mr. Bolat Akchulakov, President of the World and Kazakhstan Federations of Clubs and Associations for UNESCO.

The project is exclusively social in nature, providing all participants, regardless of their social background or place of residence, with equal opportunities to showcase their talent and work with leading figures in Kazakhstan’s art scene, free of charge. This has been made possible through the support of the project’s Official Partner, Tengizchevroil, and Co-Partners TotalEnergies E&P Kazakhstan and Freedom Holding Corp., through the Freedom Shapagat Corporate Foundation.

From 10 to 13 October, an extensive cultural and educational programme was organised in Almaty for the festival finalists. It included a plein-air art session at Shymbulak Mountain Resort -Club for UNESCO, featuring Envoys of Clubs for UNESCO in Kazakhstan Ms. Aigerim Karibayeva and Mr. Sayan Baigaliyev, as well as guided tours of the A. Kasteyev National Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Almaty Museum of Arts.

“At THE PLANET OF ART – 2026, we speak different languages, but art helps us understand one another without words. In my culture, we say that the world is your canvas, and you are the artist. To young artists, I want to say: never give up - your hard work and growth will surely be recognised,” said 16-year-old festival finalist Mr. Tiong Ing Ho from Brunei Darussalam.

The final programme in Almaty brought together finalists aged 12 to 18 from 20 countries: Azerbaijan, Brunei Darussalam, Hungary, Greece, Georgia, Zambia, India, Kenya, China, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Poland, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, France and the Czech Republic. They were joined by 13 young artists representing 13 regions of Kazakhstan.

Project partners: AltSound, DosCar Group of Companies, Endeavor, Otrar Travel, Metapsychology International Centre for Psychology and Development, Shymbulak Mountain Resort – Club for UNESCO, and Samal water.

Media partners: The Steppe, Almaty TV, Qonaev Media, Orkenlink Media, and Kursiv.