With about 15 months to go until the Youth Olympic Games, the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee is rolling out a series of cultural and community-led initiatives across Senegal.
The activities are blending sport, art and youth engagement in a uniquely local celebration of global spirit.
After all, this is going to be the first Olympic event to take place on African soil.
To mark the milestone, the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee (YOGOC) has released the official Dakar 2026 promotional video – a powerful piece of storytelling and poetic imagery that sets the tone for what lies ahead.
The video ‘A love letter to Africa: Dakar 2026,’ is a tribute to the power of sport, the strength of youth and the diversity of Africa.
Narrated with emotional depth and featuring a special appearance by Senegalese Olympic silver medallist Amadou Dia Ba (400 meters hurdles, Seoul 1988), the film also showcases young athletes from across Senegal and teases the 35 sports featured on the Youth Olympic Games programme.
The feature offers a vibrant look at the host sites – Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly – and reflects the values that will define these historic Games.
To bring the Olympic spirit into public spaces, a national graffiti campaign will see 10 young artists create murals in Dakar, Diamniadio, Saly, Ziguinchor and Saint-Louiscities.
Each artwork will weave the Dakar 2026 logo and motto, which reads, “Africa welcomes, Dakar celebrates!” into vivid expressions of local identity and pride.
This initiative will bring the Games into the streets and aims to connect directly with Senegalese youth.
It is an Olympic Day to shine a spotlight on youth and sport and looking ahead, the Dakar 2026 celebrations will continue on Olympic Day, 23 June, with a half-day event bringing together more than 1,000 schoolchildren in Dakar.
The programme will feature sports demonstrations across 12 disciplines, a group fitness session and interactive educational spaces celebrating the Olympic values.
The Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 will take place over two weeks from 31 October, bringing together the world’s best young athletes up to the age of 17.
The Games will be held across three host sites, including Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.