Kirsty Coventry: Olympic Flame Symbolises Hope, Unity and Bigger Dreams for Africa Ahead of Dakar 2026

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry has described the Olympic Flame as a powerful symbol of hope, unity and inspiration that has the ability to bring people together while encouraging young people to dream beyond their circumstances ahead of the historic Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

Speaking as the IOC unveiled the "We Run for Africa  Dakar 2026 Flame Tour Toolkit," Coventry said the arrival of the Olympic Flame on African soil would be more than a ceremonial moment—it would be an opportunity to inspire millions of young Africans through sport and the values of Olympism.

"As an Olympian, I know the feeling that the Olympic flame can create. It brings excitement. It brings people together. And it reminds us that sport has the power to inspire us to dream bigger," the former Zimbabwean minister of sports,arts and culture said.

The toolkit is designed to help African National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and Olympafrica centres organise sports and educational activities as the Olympic Flame arrives in Africa on 12 September, building excitement ahead of the first-ever Olympic sporting event to be hosted on the continent.

Developed under the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), the initiative encourages children and young people to participate in sporting, educational, artistic and environmental activities while learning the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

Under the campaign theme "Pass the Energy," participating countries will stage one-day relays and community events that collectively represent a symbolic journey of 30,500 kilometres,roughly the circumference of Africa. Young people aged between six and 16 will contribute to the distance through running, walking and other physical activities suited to their abilities.

Rather than focusing on physical travel across the continent, the initiative symbolises Africa's shared journey towards hosting its first Olympic event, with activities taking place simultaneously in participating countries.

The toolkit outlines 16 activities grouped into four categories: sport and movement, arts and culture, sustainability, and future-thinking. As participants complete the activities, they accumulate symbolic kilometres and earn recognition as "Torchbearers of Education."

The programme also seeks to strengthen the educational legacy of Dakar 2026 by integrating Olympic values into communities and schools across Africa.

President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Mustapha Berraf, said the initiative goes beyond sport.

"It is not just a tour, but a school of values.

Through this toolkit, we are providing every NOC with the tools to ignite this flame in the hearts of our young people and prepare them to write the first chapter of Africa's Olympic history," he said.

According to organisers, the continent-wide mobilisation builds on the success of the Brevet Olympique, Civique et Sportif educational programme, which has already reached more than one million young people since its launch in 2022—surpassing its original target before the Games have even begun.

Dakar 2026 Engagement Director Fanta Diallo said the milestone demonstrates that the Games are already leaving a meaningful social legacy across Africa.

Following its arrival in Senegal on 12 September, the Youth Olympic Flame will travel through all 14 regions of the country before returning to Dakar for the opening ceremony.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will be held from 31 October to 13 November, bringing together approximately 2,700 athletes aged up to 17 from around the world. The Games will be staged across Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly, marking a historic milestone as Africa hosts an Olympic event for the first time.