During the three-day visit, the IOC team presented to the Organising Committee on all aspects of the Youth Olympic Games, including YOG Experience, Games-time Management and Marketing, while LYOGOC gave an update on organisational structure and activities over the past few months. The meeting also served as an opportunity for the IOC to present the outcomes of An IOC team travelled to Lillehammer in April for the first executive meeting with the Organising Committee on Norwegian soil since the city was announced as the host of the 2nd Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2016.Headed by the Chair of the Lillehammer 2016 Coordination Commission, IOC Athletes' Commission member Angela Ruggiero, the visit's main focus was to begin laying the foundations for a successful and fruitful relationship. Over the next four years, the IOC will offer support, guidance and advice to the Organising Committee (LYOGOC) as it prepares to welcome the Olympic family once again, 22 years on from the memorable Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Winter Games. The six Candidate Cities for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) attended the first IOC workshop on the bidding process in Lausanne in April. Put forward by their respective NOCs, the potential host cities for the third Summer YOG are (in alphabetical order): Buenos Aires (Argentina), Glasgow (Great Britain), Guadalajara (Mexico), Medellín (Colombia), Poznán (Poland) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands).During the two-day workshop, presentations were delivered on all aspects of the YOG, including At the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), environmental protection is a key area explored, discussed and celebrated as part of the Culture and Education Programme (CEP). Keen to embrace this theme, the Nanjing 2014 Organising Committee officially opened the YOG Forest Park in March with the help of more than 1,000 volunteers who planted trees. During the Games, the young athletes will also get the opportunity to leave behind a lasting memento of their time in the city by planting a tree. The park covers about 6,700 square metres and includes five ecological areas, which are designed in the style of Asia, Europe, Africa, America and Oceania. The space will provide an idyllic green sanctuary for Nanjing locals and visitors before, during and after the Games. LILLEHAMMER 2016 WELCOMES IOC TEAMIOC WELCOMES ALL SIX YOG 2018 CANDIDATE CITIESNANJING 2014 YOG FOREST PARK OPENEDthe first editions of the Youth Olympic Games; Singapore 2010 and Innsbruck 2012. As part of the meeting, the four-person IOC team also visited a number of sites, including the future location of the Youth Olympic Village, the ski jumping hill and the cross-country arena. Below The IOC team visited a number of Games sitesBelow Representatives of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games Candidate CitiesAbove The YOG Forest Park openssports and venues, the Culture and Education Programme and the Youth Olympic Village, while each bid city had the opportunity for a private audience with the IOC team.IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said: "We have had positive feedback from those who participated in the meeting, which proved to be very successful indeed."18 OLYMPIC REVIEW

Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah was elected President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) during its 18th General Assembly in Moscow in April.A total of 203 National Olympic Committees attended the General Assembly. "This is a big responsibility for me, and there are many things we should do together after the success of our first President, Mr In March, a number of Olympians, including Olympic swimming champion Ai Shibata, were joined by world-famous Pokémon character Pikachu at an "Olympic Day Festa" organised by the Japanese NOC for children in Kurihara, which was affected by the earthquake in March 2011. This was one of a number of NOC events that will take place in 2012 and 2013 which are jointly sponsored by the IOC and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) "Tsubasa" support project. The NOC has sent many athletes to take part in these events since last year.The Botswana NOC has been granted permission by the government to bid for the 2nd African Youth Games, which are scheduled to take place in 2014. The African Youth Games The Indonesian Olympic Committee celebrated its 60th anniversary in March at a function held in Senayan, Jakarta. The NOC President, Rita Subowo, opened the celebrations with a short speech outlining the history of the organisation. Indonesia first participated in the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952, when three Indonesian athletes took part. Since then, 302 Indonesian athletes have participated in the Games, winning a total of six gold medals, nine silver and 10 bronze.NEW ANOC PRESIDENT ELECTEDJAPANESE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE FESTAAbove Indonesian NOC President Rita Subowo celebrates the NOC's 60th anniversary in JakartaBOTSWANA BIDS FOR AFRICAN YOUTH GAMES60 YEARS FOR INDONESIAN NOCMario Vázquez Raña. I want to be a coordinator between all of our NOCs and Executive Council colleagues," said Sheikh Ahmad."We are proud to be part of the sports and the Olympic Movement. Let's continue our success story. "Let's continue what our ex-president and colleagues have done. Let's continue to work hard and move forward for our future generations."IOC President Jacques Rogge also attended the General Assembly.are multi-sport event for athletes aged 18 or younger, which also serve as a qualifying platform for young African athletes for the Summer Youth Olympic Games.OLYMPIC REVIEW 19