International Olympic Day – June 23, 2023
International Olympic Day is celebrated on June 23 each year and was first observed in 1948. The Olympics is the world’s largest international multi-sport event held every four years. Thousands of athletes and sportspersons from all across the world take part in various games and sports. The modern Olympic Games are inspired by the Greek’s ancient Olympic Games held in Olympia, from the eighth century B.C. to the fourth century A.D. The first modern Summer Olympic Games were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. Since its foundation, International Olympic Day has widened its audience and has adapted to various local specificities.
HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC DAY
In 1947, a member of the International Olympics Committee in Czechoslovakia, Dr. Josef Gruss, presented a report about World Olympic Day in Stockholm. Later in the 42nd I.O.C. Session at St Moritz in January 1948, the idea for Olympic Day was adopted. With mutual consultation, June 23 was chosen to celebrate the foundation of the I.O.C. Its motivation was to convey a message to young people by promoting the idea of sports among them.
In ancient Greece, in honor of Zeus, the father of all Greek gods, a religious festival was held each year. The Olympic Games were part of that festival. It began in 776 B.C. when a cook from the city of Elis won a 600-foot-long foot race. For the first 13 years, it was the only athletic event of the games. Later from 776 B.C., Olympics were held every four years for about 12 centuries.
The day is celebrated to promote and spread awareness about the Olympic Movement, and to encourage more and more people to take part in the Olympic Games. Athletes and sportsmen from almost all nations participate in sports activities, such as runs, music, exhibitions, different sports, games, and educational seminars on the day. The Olympics Day has three pillars — Move, Learn, Detect. The National Olympic Committee encourage the participation of all regardless of their gender, age, social background, etc.
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC DAY TIMELINE
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC DAY ACTIVITIES
Learn a new sport
- What other way to celebrate a sports event than to learn how to play a new sport or game activity Not only can you do it alone, but you can also invite your friends and family to join you.
Watch a games documentary
- Team up with your friends and plan a movie plan about your favorite sport. Or you can watch any documentary about some famous athlete or sportsperson.
Enjoy the interviews of some athletes
- Learn more about athletes like Usain Bolt or Mohammad Ali by watching some of their interviews. Increase your insight about their games and learn more about Olympic athletes.
Source: https://bit.ly/3NKr3yz
