The 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games kicked off in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires with an open street party on Saturday.
It's the first time an Olympic Games opening ceremony has been held in the streets of a city, rather than at a stadium, and also been free for the general public.
The focal point is the Buenos Aires Obelisk, which is in the middle of the city's famous 9th of July Avenue.
A dog and a woman are seen looking out from their home next to a graffiti advertising the Summer Youth Olympic Games in a shantytown in Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 2, 2018. /VCG Photo
Crowds filled the streets and athletes and members of the Olympic family were among the audience. The young Thai soccer team who were rescued from the Tham Luang cave were also invited to the opening ceremony.
About 4,000 young athletes from 206 countries and regions across the world will participate in 32 sports in the next 12 days. It is the first Olympic competition in history to have the same number of male and female athletes.
Argentina's President Mauricio Macri announced the official opening of the games and two Olympic champions and legends of Argentine sport, judoka Paula Pareto and sailor Santiago Lange, lit the Olympic cauldron.
A majestic opening ceremony representing the Olympic Games logo was present during the inauguration of the 3rd Buenos Aires 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games. /VCG Photo
In addition to sporting events, the Olympic Games offer a range of educational and cultural opportunities that build on the Olympic values.
The Youth Games are seen as a test-bed for future Olympic sports. Karate, climbing, beach handball, roller speed skating and break dancing will make their Olympic debuts at these games, and a series of new competition formats, including a badminton relay team event, are also being introduced
The first two have already been accepted for the full Olympic program for Tokyo 2020.
China has named 82 athletes for its squad at the Youth Games. Wang Yunzhang, a 3x3 basketball player, was the Chinese delegation's flagbearer at the opening ceremony.