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ISSF, IOC and the whole sports world celebrate #OlympicDay

Since 1948, on June 23rd, the International Olympic Committee and all the International Federations promote sports activities.

It was in 1947 during the 41st Session of the International Olympic Committee in Stockholm (SWE), that a report on a World Olympic Day celebration was presented. The project was adopted some months later on the occasion of the 42nd IOC Session in St Moritz in January 1948. The National Olympic Committees were put in charge of organising this event and were requested to choose a date between June 17th and June 24th, thereby celebrating the foundation of the International Olympic Committee at the Sorbonne, Paris, on 23 June 1894, where Pierre de Coubertin obtained the revival of the Olympic Games.

 

The first Olympic Day was celebrated on 23 June 1948.

 

Nowadays, Olympic Day is developing into much more than just a sports event. Based on the three pillars, move, learn and discover, National Olympic Committees are deploying sports, cultural and educational activities which address everybody — regardless of age, gender, social background or sporting ability.

 

Some countries have incorporated the event into the school curriculum and, in recent years, many NOCs have added concerts and exhibitions to the celebration. Recent NOC activities have included meetings for children and young people with top athletes and the development of new web sites directing people to programmes in their neighbourhood. This makes it easier for everybody to become part of Olympic Day.

 

On social media, the #OlympicDay hashtag is proving hugely popular: large numbers of athletes, National Olympic Committees, National and International Federations are enthusiastically promoting and organizing events. The message is the same each time: get active!


(Photo: ©2012 CIO / Furlong, Christopher)

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