Moscow, Aug 1 (IANS): Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree that simplifies the procedure for granting visas to participants of the World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS) slated to take place in October, the media reported.
"In the fall, we will hold a great international event. Moscow and Sochi will host the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students, which will gather tens of thousands of young people from different countries," Sputnik news agency quoted Medvedev as saying on Monday.
"They are future public figures, business people and politicians. Many of them will certainly require visas to arrive in our country. To facilitate the procedure of receiving such visas and of customs examination, I have signed a corresponding decree."
According to the decree, visa fees will be lifted for the participants.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Sport Vitaly Mutko said more than 10,000 people from over 160 countries would take part in the fest.
The first-ever WFYS was held in 1947 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Russia hosted the festival twice: in 1957 and 1985.