Dobryak has been announced as the official mascot of the World Friendship Games at the ongoing 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The name was selected by a jury led by Umar Kremlev, Chairman of the Games Organising Committee, from a shortlist that included TigRasha and SporTiger. Dobryak received the majority of votes.
The mascot was unveiled during the World Youth Festival in Sochi and was chosen after a meticulous process that began in November 2023. The Organising Committee collaborated with the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre to select characters for the mascot designs. Soyuzmultfilm, a renowned animation studio, won the competition to develop visual images for the characters. The final selection was made by a 19-member jury of experts, including athletes, film stars, and Games Ambassadors, with the tiger narrowly beating the bear and squirrel.
