Inaugural lecture at UCAD: Olympism, a vector of peace at the heart of the history of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

With the opening of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) just days away, scheduled from October 31 to November 13, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD) intends to play a full role in this historic event for Senegal and the African continent. To this end, UCAD is organizing the inaugural lecture of the 2026-2027 academic year, on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in the UCAD II amphitheater, on the theme "Olympism, a Vector of Peace." The lecture will be delivered by the eminent Professor Djibril Seck, Seneweb has learned.

Through his Facebook page, the Rector of UCAD, Professor Alioune Badara Kandji, invites the university community and the public to take part in this scientific and symbolic event, which he places in the history of the university and the country.

The organization of this inaugural lecture demonstrates UCAD's commitment to contributing its intellectual and civic engagement to this unprecedented event. By dedicating this conference to Olympism, the university also reaffirms its role in reflecting on major contemporary issues. Sport thus emerges as a catalyst for education, intercultural dialogue, social cohesion, and closer ties between nations.

This initiative follows on from the inaugural lectures at UCAD, which are key moments for scientific reflection and dialogue with society. At the previous edition, Professor Moussa Seydi delivered the inaugural lecture for the 2025-2026 academic year, dedicated to the theme "A Future Without a Pandemic? Lessons from Covid-19".

For UCAD, this new inaugural lecture is a way to mark a significant moment in this historical sequence, affirming the place of knowledge, research and academic thought in supporting the social and cultural transformations linked to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The ambition is to contribute to making this event not only a sporting success, but also a lasting educational, scientific and human legacy for Senegal and the entire African continent.