International Olympic Day 2023: What is Olympic Day? All you need to know about Olympic Movement celebration

International Olympic Day is a celebration of sports (Pic: iStock)

International Olympic Day 2023: The Olympics are a global, multi-sport event that not only provide a platform for athletes to put their skills to test but also bring together diverse people in a collective celebration of sports. Divided into Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics, it attracts participants from more than 200 countries in over 400 sporting events.

International Olympic Day, held on 23^rd June every year, aims to bring the world together to celebrate the spirit of Olympic Games, and sports as a whole.

The day marks the founding of the International Olympic Committee on 23^rd June, 1894 at the Sorbonne, Paris. Pierre de Coubertin, a French historian and educator, rallied the revival of the Ancient Olympic Games on this day.

The first Olympic Day celebration dates back to 23^rd June, 1948 when the National Olympic Committees were put in charge of organising the event.

It is a day that invites everyone across the world to be active, move together with purpose and make the world a better place through the power of sport.

How is the Olympic Movement celebrated?

The Olympic Movement's mission is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world through sport. It aims to blend sports with education and culture, harnessing its power for the harmonious development of humankind.

Olympic Day draws from this spirit of the Olympic Movement. It involves encouraging people to acknowledge the importance of and engage in sports.

On this day, sports organisations, governments and local bodies across the world organise events to bring everyone together. Many National Olympic Committees also organise special Olympic Day runs to celebrate the occasion.

International Olympic Day 2023 Initiative by IOC

This year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an innovative initiative to encourage people to make time for daily physical activity.

Called ‘Let's Move', the initiative will commence on 23^rd June 2023 by inviting people to make time everyday for movement. Every individual will have the opportunity to join Olympians and other participants in a 30-minute workout on Olympic Day, thus marking the beginning of their journey towards movement and better health.

In today's world where a majority of people fail to reach the daily movement/physical activity levels recommended for optimum physical and mental health, this International Olympics Day 2023 celebration initiative aims to act as a platform to change that.

Sport contributes to improved physical and mental health. Sport instills the values of hard work, unity, sportsmanship and teamwork. Sport brings together people from different communities and countries. It is this spirit of sport that is celebrated on Olympic Day.

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