Glasgow are bidding against Buenos Aires in Argentina and Medellín in Colombia for the right to stage the event with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) set to vote on where the 2018 Youth Olympics are held at their Extraordinary Session next month on July 4 in Lausanne.

All three cities are now frantically campaigning in the final weeks of the bid and Glasgow will be hoping to edge ahead of their rivals by announcing their plans for a "Live City" that will see the 2018 Youth Olympics celebrated with a party on every street corner of the city.

The plan is for athletes, young people, the wider community and visitors from around the world to enjoy a city-wide party in order to ensure the Youth Olympics becomes a celebration of all youth and their achievements.

The celebration "live sites" will be designed to ensure residents and visitors have the best possible experience in a unique atmosphere where there are also plans to use social media throughout the Culture and Education Programme and as part of the wider celebration.

The Glasgow 2018 bid currently has over 47,000 Facebook fans and more than 6,400 Twitter followers.


"No one knows how to hold a party like Glaswegians," said one of Glasgow 2018 Young Champions, Jasmine Main.

"We like to do it in style and because we are a young city with such a vibrant cultural and social life people who come here will be able to celebrate the Youth Olympics whether or not they have a ticket to an event.

"Put it this way, there will be no part of the city that won't be celebrating.

"We're so lucky to be able to do that because of the perfect size we are for a Youth Olympics and the way the city encourages its young people to take the lead and celebrate our achievements."

Glasgow 2018 bid leader Paul Bush added that the plans for a city-wide celebration make up a core part of the city's strategy to secure the Games.

"Our plan is not just about ensuring the security of Games venues; it's about ensuring every participant and every fan can enjoy everything Glasgow has to offer in the safety and comfort the city provides," said Bush.

"A Glasgow Youth Olympics will be unique in the way in which it will be able to embrace the whole city, making the most of the warmest Scottish welcome and Glaswegians' unstoppable sense of fun."

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