IOC

06 Jul 2023 – With only 200 days to go to the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024, the Organising Committee (YOGOC), under the leadership of its two Co-Presidents, Lee Sang-hwa and Jin Jong-oh, celebrated the milestone in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The event saw the unveiling of the design for the reverse of the medals, along with the introduction of the official volunteer uniforms and the launch of PET bottle recycling initiatives.

“On this milestone of 200 days to go, we take great pride in unveiling both the medal design and the uniforms. Our excitement grows as we anticipate sharing the Republic of Korea’s heritage, K-culture, with the world through the Youth Olympic Games, and we look forward to celebrating these YOG with young people in Korea,” said Jin Jong-oh, Co-President of the Organising Committee for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024.

Design of the reverse of the medal

Gangwon 2024 ambassador and figure skating legend Yuna Kim revealed the design of the reverse of the medal. The artwork emerged from a collaborative workshop hosted by the Gangwon 2024 YOGOC, in partnership with 19 local art school students from the Gangwon Arts High School and Yanggu Middle School.

The workshop provided an inspiring platform for the students to unleash their creativity. In a brainstorming session, they used captivating photographs of sports, winter landscapes and Korean culture to construct unique collages. These served as the foundation for their imaginative sketches, which were then transformed into digital renditions. The selected design encapsulates the rich nature and picturesque environment of Gangwon province. It also features a beam of light, symbolising growth and unity, while seamlessly connecting with the obverse (front) of the medal.

The obverse design is by Brazilian Dante Akira Uwai, who won the medal design competition for which a record-breaking 3,000 design proposals were submitted. “A Sparkling Future” is a geometric interpretation of the Gangwon 2024 motto, “grow together, shine forever”.

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The staff and volunteer’s uniforms

Co-Presidents Lee Sang-hwa and Jin Jong-oh unveiled the Gangwon 2024 official staff and volunteers’ uniform. They were joined by snowboard commentator and ambassador Park Jae-min, actress Park Sun-young, short-track speed skater Kwak Yoon-Gy, bobsleigh rising star So Jaehwan and youth supporter Yoon Jo.

The uniform draws inspiration from the vibrant energy and captivating blend of the colours red and white. The red symbolises the passion and energy that characterise the Youth Olympic Games, while the white reflects the endless potential of young people. The official uniform will consist of a ski jacket, ski trousers, a mid-layer, a beanie hat and gloves.

PET bottle recycling initiative

In an effort to raise awareness around sustainability, the Gangwon 2024 YOGOC joined forces with the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation and sports associations to launch a PET bottle recycling initiative in schools across the host cities. Under this programme, designated collection containers will be strategically placed in schools and other prominent locations within the host cities. This will facilitate the collection of PET bottles, encouraging widespread participation in the initiative. To further promote environmental awareness, the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation will organise plogging events involving young people. The PET bottles collected will then be recycled and transformed into cheering kits that will be distributed to the spectators attending the Gangwon 2024 Winter YOG.

The Winter YOG Gangwon 2024 will be held between 19 January and 1 February 2024, and will benefit from the legacy of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 by using some of the same facilities. Some 1,900 athletes from around 81 National Olympic Committees are expected to take part. The previous Winter YOG took place in January 2020 in Lausanne, Switzerland.