Fifty-six years ago, Tokyo saw the opening of its first Olympic Games. That moment is seen by many as a turning point for Japan. The Games saw the country emerge from the devastating consequences of World War II as a united, peaceful member of the international community, a global industrial power and an exporter of top-quality technological goods.

Following the initiative of Pierre de Coubertin, who wanted to combine “muscles and mind” at the Games, seven editions, from 1912 to 1948, included Olympic events in painting, sculpture, literature, music and architecture. After these were dropped, the cultural programmes created for the Games successfully continued the vision of the man who revived the Games.

As we mark the 10-year anniversary of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG), olympic.org looks back at some of the most memorable moments from Singapore 2010.

As the world marks the International Day of Friendship on 30 July, we hear from former Youth Olympic Games (YOG) athletes about how they forged lasting friendships with competitors from all over the world during their time at the YOG.

It is with great sadness that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has learnt of the death of IOC Honorary Member Flor Isava Fonseca, at the age of 99.

Further to the approval of a series of amendments to the Tokyo 2020 qualification system principles by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Qualification Task Force in April 2020, the review of the International Federation (IF) qualification processes for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and each sport has now been finalised.