The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) distinguish themselves from other youth sports events as they also integrate a unique Culture and Education Programme (CEP), based around five main themes: Olympism, social responsibility, skills development, expression and well-being and healthy lifestyles.

Away from the field of play and through a variety of fun and interactive activities, workshops and team-building exercises, the CEP gives the participating athletes the opportunity to learn about the Olympic values, explore other cultures and develop the skills to become true ambassadors of their sport.

The CEP at Lausanne 2020 will take place at all the venues with its heart at the Dorigny campus, where the University of Lausanne and several other institutions are located.

The Organising Committee also intends to make use of local schools to ensure a high-level standard overall. 

The CEP at Lillehammer 2016 was widely praised, with thousands attending daily concerts and events in Sjogg Park throughout the duration of the event.

Among the features was an outdoor cinema, an ice slide and Norway's first-ever igloo disco.

Lausanne 2020 chief executive Ian Logan says the Olympic capital's ambition is to continue to incorporate culture and education into the YOG. 

"We will renew this, compete, learn and share," he told insidethegames.

"We will really go on this, the culture and education.

"In Lausanne, we are so fortunate to have so many schools, music schools, opera or comedian schools.

"We will use all of those, we will work with museums as well and will have a very good youth programme for culture.

"In Lausanne, a big specialty we have here is the ski area and different sites are that it is not only a ski slope or sports resorts.

"When you go to Les Diablerets it is not just a ski slope, it is a town, there is life there.

"We will activate the towns for the whole Games, not only during the events."

Slovakia's Danka Barteková, the chairperson of the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission for Lausanne 2020, highlighted how the cultural elements are key to drawing more attention to the YOG from across the host country.

"It is very important to realise that the Youth Olympic Games is not only about sport, but is a concept of connecting sport, culture and education," she told insidethegames.

"This is very important.

"I am sure Lausanne realises that and will have a Games which will really leave a great legacy in these three areas.

"All of the parts of the Games should be on the same level and these are the means to attract the attention of the local, regional and national youth.

"Attract them in, share the values, share the culture and educate them."