International Youth Day at Rio 2016

It all started with the IOC’s daily briefing with the press at the Games, which included the appearance of Felipe Wu Almeida, who won a silver medal at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore. The Brazilian sport-shooter was the first to win a medal for the Olympic host nation, winning silver in the men’s 10m air pistol. He talked about his experience at the YOG: "I became a better person and a better athlete. It's a unique experience, and anybody who has the opportunity should train from an early age. It was great preparation, I was a much more experienced athlete and it helped my confidence.
Getty Images Argentinian hockey legend Luciana Aymar, a four-time Olympic medallist, took the floor, highlighting the friendship between Brazil and Argentina. The Buenos Aires 2018 Ambassador mentioned how she was excited to be at Rio 2016 and how she was looking forward to having the YOG in her home country: "We are really looking forward to Buenos Aires 2018 and we're hoping to share the values that sport gives to us. Sport was like a second school, a life-changer for me. It gave me values such as solidarity, respect and focus, all the values that help shape the youth."

Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung made sure it celebrated the day as well, inviting 30 children from the favelas for an unforgettable day at the Olympic Games. The children, who live in different favelas in Rio, started the day watching the women’s handball match between Brazil and Angola, and enjoyed the excitement of watching a match up-close with all the thrill of being at the Arena of the Future, in Barra da Tijuca.
Getty Images Celebrated every year on 12 August, International Youth Day was established by the United Nations to raise awareness about the challenges and issues facing the world’s youth. The International Olympic Committee has, over the decades, established a strong partnership with the United Nations, as sport can be a powerful tool for peace, development and social change.