IOC

25 January 2024 – The Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 are not just for young athletes, but have also involved young people throughout the planning and preparations, and now the delivery of the event. The medal design, mascot creation and official song development all involved young people.

Additionally, the Young Reporters Programme aims to support young journalists on their journey into the profession. The YOG are guided by an ambition to create a sporting event for, by and with young people, to ensure that they inspire and empower youth within the Republic of Korea and beyond.

New opportunities for a new generation

One example is the IOC Young Reporters Programme, which was launched for the inaugural YOG, Singapore 2010, and continues to support aspiring journalists as they begin their reporting journeys. Of the 14 talented reporters selected for the Gangwon 2024 programme, eight come from the host nation, with the remaining six comprising two representatives from each of the next three Olympic host nations: France (Paris 2024), Italy (Milano Cortina 2026) and Senegal (Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026).

The medals

The process to design the medals that athletes receive on the podium was another case in point. Brazilian architect Dante Akira Uwai beat a record 3,000+ submissions with his “A Sparkling Future” entry, a geometric interpretation of the Gangwon 2024 motto “Grow Together, Shine Forever” and an embodiment of a message of peace and diversity. The back of the medal was the result of an interactive workshop with local art students and reflects Korean culture, namely the picturesque landscape of Gangwon Province.

Moongcho the mascot

This desire to involve youth in different aspects of the YOG didn’t stop there. As part of a nationwide contest, young people across the Republic of Korea were invited to submit their own designs of how they would like the Gangwon 2024 mascot to look – and ultimately Moongcho was born. The process saw a total of seven young creators take part in an internship, where experts, who led the same process for PyeongChang 2018, helped develop the storytelling and visuals of their submissions.

Youth-led engagement strategy

The Youth Supporters initiative is made up of 30 young people aged under 24, who were each selected by the Organising Committee (YOGOC) and given the task of developing a creative digital content and communications strategy that would engage youth throughout the Republic of Korea and beyond. It was considered the first step towards delivering a YOG edition that prioritised the next generation.

Eight Korean athletes, four from the Seoul Physical Education High School curling team and four from Sangji Daegwallyeong High School’s bobsleigh and skeleton teams, are part of the initiative. Along with shaping a creative communications strategy, they helped unveil the official slogan of the YOG – “Grow Together, Shine Forever” – and attended local events that gave the public the chance to try new winter sports. 

And last but certainly not least, the official song, “We Go High”, was composed by local music student Kim Keun-hak. We Go High expresses the growth of young people as they chase their dreams at the YOG, and is performed by Kim, young artist Choi Seo-yeon and the ChunCheon City Youth Choir.

PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation (PCLF)

In addition to the various Gangwon 2024 projects engaging with young people, the PCLF – supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Gangwon Province – provides opportunities for athletes from nations not typically associated with ice and snow sports.

One of the PCLF programmes, the “New Horizons Programme”, focused on young athletes’ qualification for Gangwon 2024. Currently, 25 athletes who participated in this programme are taking part in Gangwon 2024. One to highlight is Thailand’s Agnese Campeol, who made history as the first-ever Winter YOG medallist for her country by winning silver in the women’s monobob.