How Dakar en Jeux is bringing culture to life for Dakar 2026
To further strengthen the blending of sport and culture, the countdown to the Dakar 2026 YOG had featured Dakar en Jeux – an annual cultural and sports festival that has been running since 2022 and was held for the fourth and final time in November 2025.
Combining music, art, sport and local culture, it had become a central feature of the build-up to Africa’s first Olympic event.
Reflecting the spirit and values of the Youth Olympic Games and celebrating Senegalese culture, sport and African youth, the festival aimed to bring communities together and stimulate their interest in and enthusiasm for Dakar 2026. Also promoting youth engagement and athlete education, the initiative had bolstered the cultural dimension of the Games by showcasing the dynamic character of Senegal and the warm hospitality the country offers to local and international audiences.
Since its launch, Dakar en Jeux had brought together thousands of people across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, celebrating sport and Senegalese culture through concerts, art and sports demonstrations. Past editions had featured highlights such as slam poetry battles, a 300-metre mural by African graffiti artists, and the introduction of the Brevet Olympique Civique et Sportif, an Olympic values-based education programme for schoolchildren.
The third edition in 2024 saw attendance grow to 20,000 people, with sporting highlights including Senegal’s victory in the boys’ 3x3 basketball tournament. It also featured the launch of Impact Spark, a new initiative by Dakar 2026 and the Lausanne-based SPARK/innov-action association, supported by the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) in Switzerland, aimed at promoting health and well-being through physical activity in a fun and inclusive environment to combat lifestyle-related diseases.
The fourth and final edition in November 2025 set the scene for Dakar 2026, to inspire youth engagement and community celebration.
Dakar en Jeux was delivered by the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee (YOGOC) in partnership with the Senegalese Olympic Committee (CNOSS), the Senegalese government, the International Olympic Committee, and the local authorities in the three host cities.