Countdown to Dakar 2026: Just 500 Days Until the Youth Olympic Games!
Dakar – Today marks the beginning of 500 days leading up to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026, the first Olympic event to be held on African soil.
To commemorate this significant occasion, the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee (YOGOC) is launching a variety of cultural and community initiatives throughout Senegal. These activities will intertwine sports, art, and youth engagement, creating a distinctive local celebration of a global vision.
A heartfelt tribute to Africa: Official video for Dakar 2026 launched
The key highlight of the 500-day countdown celebration is the debut of the official Dakar 2026 promotional video. This captivating piece of storytelling is filled with poetic imagery and sets a lively tone for the upcoming event.
The video celebrates the strength of sports, the tenacity of youth, and the richness of Africa’s cultural diversity.
Narrated with emotional resonance and featuring a special appearance by Senegalese Olympic silver medalist Amadou Dia Ba (400m hurdles, Seoul 1988), the film showcases young athletes from all corners of Senegal while presenting the 35 sports included in the YOG program.
It offers a vibrant glimpse into the host cities – Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly – while embodying the values that will define these historic Games.
Street art bridges the Games to the community
To integrate the Olympic spirit into public spaces, a national graffiti campaign will empower ten gifted young artists to create murals in Dakar, Diamniadio, Saly, Ziguinchor, and Saint-Louis.
Each mural will feature the Dakar 2026 logo and the motto – “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates” – producing colorful representations of local identity and pride.
This initiative strives to embed the Games in daily life and encourage direct connections with Senegalese youth.
Olympic Day to highlight youth and sports
In the coming months, the celebrations will extend to Olympic Day, June 23, with a half-day event that will gather over 1,000 schoolchildren in Dakar.
This program will encompass sports demonstrations across 12 disciplines, a group fitness session, and interactive educational spaces promoting Olympic values.
The YOG Dakar 2026 is set to take place over two weeks, commencing on October 31, showcasing the world’s finest young athletes aged 17 and under.
The Games will be hosted across three locations: Dakar, Diamniadio, and Saly.
