Jaguar, One of the most emblematic wild cat species found in northern Argentina has been named as Mascot of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games to be held in Buenos Aires in October this year. The mascot, named Pandi with a "hastag" will have a strong online profile as it aims to inspire youth to embrace sport as a tool to make the world a better place. Besides, it will also raise awareness about the species' risk of extinction.
On Tuesday, the Buenos Aires 2018 Organising Committee launched its mascot. Inspired by the jaguar.
The Olympic mascots are ambassadors to the Games and play a fundamental role in spreading the event's message and the Olympic values of friendship, respect, and excellence among different audiences, especially children and youth.
The jaguar, found in Argentina's northern region, is in great danger due to human causes. Various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have warned about the risk of extinction as a result of the destruction of their natural habitat and hunting.
The third edition of Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires will be unique example of gender equality as the number of participating male and female athletes will be the same.
In the animated short, the young jaguar does not give up when faced with challenges as it tries to reach the ribbons with colours that symbolise Buenos Aires 2018.
During the race it uses the positive energy of the sports found on the Youth Olympic programme to overcome all kinds of obstacles. It starts off with a breaking move; it demonstrates its skill in jumping over various hurdles; it defies gravity with a pole vault; and it ascends quickly just like in sport climbing.
Exhaustion can't even get in the way of its final goal, to reach the Obelisk in downtown Buenos Aires, where it's embraced by the ribbons to become the mascot for the third summer edition of the Youth Olympic Games.
With perseverance and the festive spirit it reveals upon reaching its goal, #Pandi symbolises the desire for Buenos Aires 2018, the first edition of an Olympic celebration with strict gender equality, to serve as an important source of inspiration to build a better world through sport.
India's interest in Youth Olympic Games has been revived after its men under-18 team qualified for Hockey 5s tournament by winning the YOG Qualifier in Bangkok in April.
"Like the young athletes that give their best to qualify for the Games, the Buenos Aires 2018 mascot overcomes all types of adversity to reach its goals", said the president of the Buenos Aires 2018 Organising Committee, Gerardo Werthein.
The Buenos Aires 2018 mascot was designed by the Argentine agency Human Full Agency. The short animation was made by the local production company, Buda TV.
-PTC News
Exhaustion can't even get in the way of its final goal, to reach the Obelisk in downtown Buenos Aires, where it's embraced by the ribbons to become the mascot for the third summer edition of the Youth Olympic Games.
With perseverance and the festive spirit it reveals upon reaching its goal, #Pandi symbolises the desire for Buenos Aires 2018, the first edition of an Olympic celebration with strict gender equality, to serve as an important source of inspiration to build a better world through sport.
