11 November 2024 – With two years to go until the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar 2026, Senegal is initiating a wave of capacity-building efforts centred around the Olympic values and the power of sport. The International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) is supporting local partners such as the National Olympic Committee of Senegal (CNOSS) in building a solid foundation for successful Youth Olympic Games – and beyond.

Together, Senegalese educators, communities and partners have set an ambitious goal of reaching nearly 1 million young people across the country through Olympic values education, leaving a lasting legacy for communities by fostering a safer, healthier and more inclusive environment through sport.

From empowering social educators to work effectively with at-risk youth and enhancing crime prevention policies to equipping sports officials and journalists with communication skills around the Olympic values, here’s how OVEP initiatives are laying the groundwork for sustainable development.

Safeguarding kids against harassment and abuse in sport

With the YOG Dakar 2026 in sight, a significant training opportunity presented itself: looking at how educators, officials, coaches and anyone working with young athletes can best protect them before and during sports competitions. A two-day training session, held in late June in Dakar, engaged representatives from National Sports Federations, the Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee and the CNOSS.

The IOC delivered an introduction to safeguarding, including the identification of harassment and abuse, types of interpersonal violence, risks specific to sport, the impact of abuse on victims, and how to shift the conversation around protecting youth.  The remainder of the training focused on delivering practical skills for implementing new policies and procedures, including training safeguarding officials in preparation for Dakar 2026.

Preventing youth crime through sport

Senegal’s Ministry of Justice identified a need to increase support for at-risk children and for new methods of integrating sport into crime prevention policies. In December 2023, the IOC and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) launched a unique partnership: “Sport against Crime: Outreach, Resilience, Empowerment of at-risk youth”, or SC:ORE.

Through the joint efforts of the two organisations and the support of Senegal’s National Olympic Committee and Ministry of Justice, a three-day workshop was organised in June. The sessions focused on training Dakar-area social educators on the practical application of sport-based learning and skills development in centres that house at-risk youth – efforts that the organisations pledge will be ongoing.

Speaking the same language: the Olympic values in the media

The most recent of the training sessions, held on 25 October, focused on a different audience: sports journalism professionals. According to Seydina Diagne, Secretary General of the CNOSS, before the country welcomes the Youth Olympic Games, a top priority is the need for all those involved – including reporters – to understand the fundamental elements of Olympism, to contribute to the event’s success.

Organised by the National Association of the Sports Press (ANPS) in Dakar, the training session helped members of the media become familiar with Olympic terminology and learn how to promote a better understanding of the Olympic values among the public in order to “speak the same language” before and during Dakar 2026.

Sport as a platform for values-based learning

The Olympic Values Education Programme is a series of free and accessible teaching resources created by the International Olympic Committee and implemented by the Olympic Museum. The programme promotes the long-term benefits of sport and physical activity through an understanding of Olympism and its impact on individual health, enjoyment and social interaction.

OVEP, now implemented in over 60 countries and through key partnerships in India, China and Senegal, complements local educational curriculums with Olympic-themed activities, teaching strategies and inspirational materials. The programme primarily works with schools, governments, National Olympic Committees and educators through training workshops.