From Luanda to Dakar: A Youth Legacy Pathway for Africa
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Aligning Africa's Youth Legacy with Daka 2026 and the the IOC's Olympism 365
The Youth Charter announces the launch of “From Luanda to Dakar: A Youth Legacy Pathway for Africa”, a continental and global campaign aligned with the 4th African Youth Games, the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, and the International Olympic Committee’s Olympism 365 strategy.
This initiative positions the African Youth Games not as an end in themselves, but as a strategic pathway ensuring Africa’s young people transition from participation to opportunity, and from sporting excellence to social impact.
A Continental Pathway to Dakar 2026
The 4th African Youth Games represent a critical qualification and preparation milestone for young African athletes on the road to Dakar 2026, the first Olympic event ever to be staged on African soil.
“Dakar 2026 must be remembered not only as a historic Youth Olympic Games, but as the moment Africa redefined youth legacy,” said Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL, Founder and Chair of the Youth Charter. “From Luanda to Dakar, we must build a pipeline of opportunity that supports young people on and off the field of play.”
Aligning with Olympism 365
The Youth Charter campaign is directly aligned with the IOC’s Olympism 365: Sport for a Better World strategy, which calls for sport to be used every day, everywhere, as a tool for:
Education
Health & wellbeing
Social inclusion
Youth empowerment
Peace and sustainable development
“From Luanda to Dakar” delivers Olympism 365 in action embedding Olympic values into community life, education systems and youth ecosystems across Africa.
The Youth Charter Dakar Legacy Framework
African Youth-to-Youth Olympic Pathways
Structured transition from African Youth Games → Dakar 2026 → elite sport, education and employment
Holistic athlete development: sport, life skills, leadership and citizenship
Post-Games pathways preventing youth drop-out and disengagement
Dakar 2026 Community Campus Network
In partnership with African stakeholders, Youth Charter proposes a Pan-African Community Campus Network linked to Dakar 2026:
Host and feeder city campuses across Africa
Integration of sport facilities with schools, cultural spaces and digital hubs
Year-round Olympism-based programming beyond competition cycles
These campuses will serve as living legacies of Dakar 2026, aligned with Olympism 365 delivery objectives.
Olympism, Education & Youth Leadership
Youth Olympic values education embedded in schools and community programmes
Athlete-leaders trained as Olympism 365 Ambassadors
Peace, inclusion, gender equity and climate awareness as core learning outcomes
Digital Africa – Dakar 2026 Platform
A connected digital ecosystem linking African youth to Dakar 2026
Virtual coaching, education and cultural exchange
Pan-African storytelling amplifying youth voice, identity and aspiration
Sustainable Impact & Measurement
Aligned with IOC, UN and African Union frameworks, the campaign commits to:
Measurable social impact indicators
Youth participation and employment outcomes
SDG-aligned reporting for partners and funders
A Call to Africa & the Olympic Movement
The Youth Charter calls upon:
ANOCA & National Olympic Committees
Dakar 2026 Organising Committee
African Union & national governments
IOC, IFs and Olympic Solidarity
Corporate and philanthropic partners
to co-create a youth-centred, values-led legacy that ensures Dakar 2026 delivers benefits before, during and long after the Games.
“Olympism 365 is not a slogan, it is a responsibility,” Thompson added.
“Africa has the opportunity to lead the world by showing how Youth Olympic Games can transform communities, not just host events.”
Beyond 2026 - A Lasting African Legacy
“From Luanda to Dakar” is designed to extend beyond 2026:
Sustaining community campuses across Africa
Supporting future African youth events and Olympic cycles
Positioning Africa as a global leader in Sport for Development and Peace
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