Over 850 Volunteers Help Build the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Village

Volunteers were made up of International Olympic Committee (IOC) staff including IOC Coordination Commission Chair Danka Bartekova, the Lausanne 2020 team, led by President Virginie Faivre, and local partners and stakeholders such as ECA, Retraites Populaire and BCV.

Just one day after receiving the keys to the Vortex at an inauguration ceremony, the volunteers responded to the call of the Organising Committee to roll up their sleeves and help build as much furniture as possible with the help of 50 coaches made available by IKEA, a partner of Lausanne 2020.

The positive energy of the volunteers was spread across all eight floors of the circular building, which, for the first time at a YOG, will house all athletes under one roof.

To maximise efficiency of the furniture build, 26,000 packages of furniture were distributed throughout the building – again by a team of volunteers. With the furnishing close to completion, there was an opportunity to conduct a successful test of the functionality of the building (water systems and Wi-Fi) at full occupation. 

The Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games will take place from 9 to 22 January 2020 with 1,880 athletes (aged 15-18) from more than 70 countries. The competitions will take place across Switzerland in the cantons of Vaud, Valais and Graubünden and in neighbouring France. More information on Lausanne 2020: www.lausanne2020.sport