One year before the kickoff of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, presided this Friday, October 31, 2025, at the Grand National Theater in Dakar, over the official unveiling ceremony of the mascot for the first Olympic Games ever held on African soil.
A symbol of unity, energy, and hope, the mascot, named AYO, embodies African youth, dynamic, creative, and ambitious ready to write a new chapter in the history of world sport. With its radiant smile and vibrant colors, AYO reflects the values of diversity, solidarity, and excellence upheld by the Dakar 2026 YOG. It also serves as the visual imprint and symbolic identity of these historic Games.
In the presence of the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, members of the Government, and numerous figures from the sporting and diplomatic worlds, the Head of State praised the remarkable work accomplished by the Dakar 2026 YOG Organizing Committee (COJOJ Dakar 2026). He reaffirmed Senegal’s commitment to making this event a historic moment for African youth and the continent as a whole: “Senegal is aware that it embodies the hope of an entire continent seeking to make its voice heard more strongly on the international stage,” he declared.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye also emphasized that these Games will be far more than a sporting competition. In his view, they will showcase an Africa that is standing tall, confident in its youth, and eager to share with the world the universal values of sport, peace, and fraternity. “The challenge of mobilization will be met through the State’s commitment, the resolute involvement of sporting stakeholders, and the enthusiastic support of the youth and all our fellow citizens,” he affirmed.
The unveiling of AYO thus marks a decisive step in the preparations for the Dakar 2026 YOG, scheduled from October 24 to November 15, 2026, with the participation of thousands of young athletes from all five continents.
Under the slogan “Africa Welcomes, Dakar Celebrates,” Senegal aims to make Dakar 2026 an unforgettable event, blending sport, culture, and innovation reflecting the image of an ambitious African youth looking toward the future.