Speaker of the day: Lamine Gueye — Creativity and Innovation

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 GUEYE is a Senegalese alpine skier, born on July 18, 1960, in Dakar.

He shares the same name as his grandfather Lamine Guèye, a major political figure in Senegal from the 1930s to the 1960s who notably served as President of the National Assembly of Senegal.

In 1968, following his grandfather's passing, young Lamine left Dakar. To channel his energetic temperament, he was sent to a boarding school in Switzerland. For a young boy who had never seen snow, it was a revelation: he fell in love with it instantly. He took up winter sports and discovered what would become a lifelong passion: alpine skiing.

He later left the snowy peaks to pursue his studies in Paris. However, whenever he returned to visit his mother in Senegal, he had only one goal in mind: creating the Senegalese Ski Federation so Senegal could also participate in the Olympic Games. It became an enduring ambition. While the rest of the world considered it an impossible gamble, Lamine was undeterred and embarked on a relentless journey to turn this dream into reality.

In 1979, the first milestone was achieved: he founded the Senegalese Ski Federation (FSS), serving as its president, treasurer, and secretary. In 1984, at the Sarajevo Olympic Games, he made sporting history as the first Black African skier to compete in the Winter Olympics and the sole representative of his nation. It was the crowning moment of a dream and the culmination of an extraordinary adventure.

Lamine then stepped away from skiing to embrace new challenges: financial markets, import-export, modeling, and even cinema, featuring in the James Bond movie Moonraker. Watching the 1988 Calgary Games reignited his drive: the Jamaican bobsled team and their incredible story resonated with his own winter dreams, which were far from buried.

Carried by this momentum, he returned to competition at the Albertville Games in 1992 and in Lillehammer in 1994. His passion for alpine skiing remained intact, leading him to compete in 25 World Cup events and 5 World Championships.

In 1994, Lamine retired from competitive skiing but remained committed to the cause that brought him to the Olympics, leading an active campaign against regulations restricting non-alpine nations from competing in the Winter Games.

An avid extreme sports enthusiast, Lamine is also a freediving and spearfishing instructor. He has engineered innovative prototypes in surfing, aeromodelling, and spearfishing, several of which have been patented. Through UnoMe, you can benefit from the inspiring journey of Lamine Gueye, an alpine skier and founder of the Senegalese Ski Federation who has proven himself a true achiever of the impossible.

Engage him on key themes such as motivation and foresight—topics he has mastered through his rich experiences as an athlete, entrepreneur, and actor, alongside his creative endeavors in aeromodelling, surfing, and spearfishing.

Audiences will discover unique facets of the entrepreneurial mindset and the mental resilience required to look confidently toward the future. His book "Skieur sénégalais cherche esprit Olympique", published in 2008 by Calman Levy, recounts his unconventional journey and his determination to achieve his dreams against all odds.Languages spoken by the speaker:

• French
• English
• Italian

Lamine Gueye delivers keynote speeches globally. His specialty: seamlessly transitioning between languages for dynamic, multilingual Q&A sessions with all your team members.