Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games: The Secretary General of the Organizing Committee calls on Senegalese youth to take ownership of the Games

On the occasion of Olympic Day celebrated on June 23 at the Caroline Faye Stadium in Mbour, the Secretary General of the Organising Committee of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar-2026, Cécile Faye, emphasized the importance of this date in the history of the Olympic movement while reaffirming the organizers' desire to involve all young Senegalese in this global event.

Ms. Faye noted that this activity is part of Olympic Week, which concludes with the celebration of Olympic Day, commemorating the creation of the Olympic movement on June 23, 1894 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

"All over the world, activities are being organized today to show that Olympism is universal. We share the same values of excellence, friendship and respect, principles that we wish to pass on to our children in order to help build a world of peace," she said.

The head of the Organizing Committee for the Youth Olympic Games (COJOJ) emphasized the importance of youth participation in the various initiatives leading up to the Games. According to her, the goal is to allow as many Senegalese as possible to take part in this historic event.

"We are touring Senegal because we don't want to leave anyone out. We want every young person to feel involved and concerned in the organization of the Youth Olympic Games," she explained.

The choice of Mbour for this awareness-raising stage is not accidental, she specified, recalling that Saly is among the sites that will host competitions during the Dakar-2026 Youth Olympic Games.

Addressing the entire Senegalese population, Cécile Faye called for collective mobilization to ensure the event's success. She particularly emphasized the central role of young people, who are called upon to become ambassadors of Senegalese hospitality.

"Young people will come from all continents to participate in these Games. It is important that young Senegalese are prepared to welcome them in the best possible conditions. That is why we are continuing our awareness campaigns to enable them to better understand the stakes of this exceptional event," she says.

The first edition of the Youth Olympic Games organized on the African continent, Dakar-2026 is a historic event for Senegal, which intends to make this competition a showcase of its commitment to youth, sport and Olympic values.