Senegal made history this week as it welcomed the Youth Olympic flame for the first time on African soil.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye received the torch at the Presidential Palace from Mamadou Diagna Ndiaye, head of the Senegalese Olympic Committee, in the presence of IOC President Kirsty Coventry. Hundreds of students from across Dakar filled the grounds, waving flags as the flame was lit.
“For the first time in its history, it burns on African soil for Games organized in Africa,” President Faye said. “It belongs to the young people. It is for them that the world has chosen Senegal.”
The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, set for October 31 to November 13, will be the first Olympic event ever held in Africa. More than 2,700 athletes from over 200 countries are expected.
The flame arrived in Dakar on September 12 after being lit in Athens on September 10. It will now tour all 14 regions of Senegal in a campaign called “Pass the Energy,” aimed at inspiring youth ahead of the Games.
About The Author
