Young athletes are invited by IOC President Bach to enjoy their YOG experience at Gangwon 2024.

The Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 kicked off in style today with an outstanding Opening Ceremony that included a variety of K-pop artists and cultural entertainers. Athletes and other YOG stakeholders were present at the sold-out Gangneung Oval, which seated 4,500 spectators, and the fully reserved PyeongChang Dome, which accommodated 4,300 people.The ceremony's theme was "The Universe," which echoed the Gangwon 2024 motto of "Grow Together, Shine Forever." Moved performances narrated the tale of Woori, a young heroine who aspires to be the brightest star in her own universe and enjoy winter sports on an ice planet.International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach urged the 1,802 athletes from 78 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that will be competing in these Games to savor their Olympic experience. He remarked, "Dear young athletes, this is your moment." "At the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, you are following in the footsteps of sporting icons who made Olympic history."IOC President Bach extends an invitation to young athletes to relish their YOG experience in Gangwon 2024, saying, "This is your moment.

" The Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 kicked off in style today with an outstanding Opening Ceremony that included a variety of K-pop artists and cultural entertainers.The Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 kicked off in style today with an outstanding Opening Ceremony that included a variety of K-pop artists and cultural entertainers. Athletes and other YOG stakeholders were present at the sold-out Gangneung Oval, which seated 4,500 spectators, and the fully reserved PyeongChang Dome, which accommodated 4,300 people.The ceremony's theme was "The Universe," which echoed the Gangwon 2024 motto of "Grow Together, Shine Forever." Moved performances narrated the tale of Woori, a young heroine who aspires to be the brightest star in her own universe and enjoy winter sports on an ice planet.President Bach also praised the Republic of Korea for its hospitality, emphasizing once more the connections between PyeongChang 2018 and Gangwon 2024. Let's all give thanks to our fantastic Korean hosts. "I express my gratitude to Korea for providing this new wave of young athletes with the opportunity to pursue their Olympic dreams," he added. "This truly is an Olympic legacy.

""Dear volunteers, this is also your time to shine," he said. Korea, thank you! We all will embody the Olympic motto—Faster, Higher, Stronger—Together—as competitors, IOC members, volunteers, members of the organizing committee, officials, and spectators. "It is now with great honor that I extend an invitation to His Excellency Yoon Suk-yeol, the President of the Republic of Korea, to officially open these Winter Youth Olympic Games, Gangwon 2024."Building on PyeongChang 2018's Olympic Winter Games legacy are the Winter Youth Olympic Games. At these YOG, seven of the nine competition locations were also in use six years prior.