Special Olympics Senegal Atheten, families, partners and supporters brought together on the occasion of the Day of the World Youth and International Youth Day. These annual observations celebrate the potential of young people such as leaders, innovators and contributors to inclusive development.
The celebration served as a platform to emphasize the skills, talents and leadership of athletes with an intellectual disability, while it was also the scene for future growth through the establishment of the National Athletes’ Council. Fifty athletes and Unified Partners Van Dakar took Kolda, Mbour, Saint-Louis and Ziguinchor in workshops, training sessions and exhibitions that are designed to show their skills and to strengthen their role as proponents for inclusion.
National Youth Top
The National Youth Summit met in Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium. Leaders, including Colonel Babacar Gueye (vice-president of the board of directors), Mrs. Diagram (National Director), and Mr Assane Thiam (Director of Sport), opened the top with a call for action: Empowering athletes not only as participants, but as decision makers.
The top included a refresher course on leadership programs for athlete, an evaluation of 2025 activities and planning for 2026. The highlight was the election of a 10-person national athletes council, which means that athletes have a stronger voice in the national design of the movement.
World Youth Skills Day
The regional cultural center of Blaise Senghor organized a lively celebration of the Day of World Youth. Athletes presented their entrepreneurial and creative skills in various areas, including Batik, carpentry, hairdressers, embroidery and food processing.
Government officials, families and partners were present to show their support, with versions of the Dakar Theater group and the traditional dance group of Ziguinchor that adds cultural wealth.
The celebrations underlined Special Olympics Senegal’s dedication to capacity building and reducing inequalities, a core objective of the strategic orientation plan of 2023 – 2025. In the future, the program is aimed at:
- Strengthen the role of the National Athletes Council
- Expand participation over more sub -programs
- Work together with sponsors and technical partners for vocational training, subsidies and equipment
- Support for the entrepreneurial initiatives of athletes
“Thanks to the sport I conquered my handicap,” said a Senegal athlete. “Thanks to you I go to challenges.”
Because of these celebrations, Secial Olympics Senegal not only recognized the performance of his athletes, but also strengthened his vision of a more inclusive nation where every young person has the chance to thrive.
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