“Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024,” pledged for a successful hosting in commemoration of G-200
Date Jul 10, 2023
- On July 6, the reverse of the medals and official uniforms unveiled for the first time, with KIM Yuna, YUN Sung Bin, SO Jae Hwan, KWAK Yoon Gy, and PARK Sun Young present at the G-200 days celebration event
- The “Youth Hackathon” held to consider the competition’s environmental direction by using upcycled products for uniforms and cheering tools
The Organizing Committee for the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 (Co-President LEE Sang-hwa and JIN Jong-oh, YOGOC) held an event to commemorate the G-200 day at Seoul Olympic Parktel, Songpa-gu, on July 6 (Thur). The uniform and back of the medal were unveiled for the first time.
PARK Bo Gyoon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who attended the event, said, “Gangwon 2024 will become a platform for future generations from around the world to unite and cooperate for a better world. Let’s start strong so that the competition will receive the most support from the fans.”
National figures, including KIM Yuna and YUN Sung Bin, who serve as honorary ambassadors for the competition, along with youth athletes, Gangwon province Governor KIM Jin Tae, PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation Chairman RYU Seung Min, and youth supporters (cheering squad) came together to raise public interest in the competition and show their support for the participating athletes.
❙ KIM Yuna, SO Jae Hwan, KWAK Yoon Gy, PARK Sun Young, unveiled the design of the back of the medal and official uniforms
The official uniforms and back of the medal were also unveiled for the first time, drawing much attention. Honorary ambassador KIM Yuna revealed the medal’s back side, which features the identity of the host city by reflecting the nature of Gangwon province and snowflakes symbolizing the Winter Olympics. It is even more meaningful as students from Gangwon Arts High School and Yanggu Middle School in Gangwon province, the host region, directly participated in the production process. The students studied the images of Gangwon province and the Winter Olympics and submitted designs containing the messages they wanted to convey. In February, the YOGOC selected and unveiled “A Sparkling Future,” a work by Brazilian architect Dante Akira Uwai, for the front side of the medal through a medal design contest.
The official uniforms, which include ski jacket and ski pants, were also unveiled, with promising youth bobsleigh athlete SO Jae Hwan, short track skater KWAK Yoon Gy, and actress PARK Sun Young participating in the event. The sponsor, KOLON FnC, produced the uniforms using sustainable materials considering insulation, environmental friendliness, and ethical standards by incorporating upcycled products, all in line with the goal of creating a sustainable Olympics. The uniform is designed with a combination of red and white, symbolizing passion and infinite possibilities. The ski jacket is made of duck down that meets the “Responsible Down Standard (RDS),” and the ski pants are made of polyester made from recycled waste PET bottles as a filler.[1]
The YOGOC is actively discovering and developing activities, such as the official uniform production method, to reduce environmental pollution throughout the preparation process for the low-carbon, environmentally friendly Olympics. In addition to prioritizing the purchase of environmentally-friendly products and refraining from using disposable products, cheering tools will also be produced and distributed in an upcycling method by collecting discarded PET bottles. Furthermore, the “Youth Hackathon” will be held, where the Youth Olympics’ target audience of young people will consider the competition’s harmony with its environment and present alternatives.[2]
❙ “Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024,” splendid opening on January 19, 2024
The Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024 (Gangwon 2024), hosted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is a competition in which approximately 2,600 people, including 1,800 youth athletes aged 15 to 18 from 70 countries, participate. It will be held in Gangwon province from January 19 to February 1. After “PyeongChang 2018,” Korea is expected to strengthen its position as the center of winter sports, as Asia’s first Youth Winter Olympics will be held in Gangwon.
As the competition approaches in around 200 days, preparations are speeding up. Seven out of nine stadium facilities were previously used during the PyeongChang 2018 and are currently being repaired; all processes will be completed in October. Various cultural and educational events that young people can participate in, such as “Visiting Gangwon 2024” and the “Gangwon 2024 Go Go Go Campaign,” will be held from now until the Games.
[Webhard link] https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16jMKVaBVAabVNabf19ATGH0b44NEHQrB?usp=drive_link
[1] A certification mark issued only for down products produced through ethical means, without any acts of animal cruelty during the collection of down (fine feathers or clusters of feathers found beneath the outer feathers of waterfowl, such as ducks and geese)
[2] A hackathon is a combination of “hacking” and “marathon.” In the context of a youth hackathon, young participants form teams and, similar to running a marathon, engage in a prolonged period dedicated to generating ideas, planning, and creating tangible outcomes to enhance the Youth Olympics’ sustainability.