International Olympic Day is annually observed across the globe on 23 June to promote participation in sports and celebrate the ideals of excellence, friendship, and respect through physical activities, cultural events, and educational initiatives.
- The day commemorates the establishment of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 23rd June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris (France), where French historian Baron Pierre de Coubertin initiated the revival of the ancient Olympic Games, which led to the first modern Olympics in Athens, Greece in 1896.
Theme & Campaign:
i.The theme for International Olympic Day 2025 is “Let’s Move?”, encouraging individuals to become active through walking, playing, running, or dancing.
ii.The “Let’s Move” campaign is an ongoing initiative launched in 2023 by the Lausanne (Switzerland) based International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Geneva (Switzerland) based World Health Organization (WHO).
iii.In India, the ‘Let’s Move India +1’ campaign was launched in collaboration with the Mohali (Punjab) based Abhinav Bindra Foundation and Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reliance Foundation to encourage group participation in physical activity.
Background:
i.The idea of International Olympic Day was first proposed in 1947 by Dr. Josef Gruss, an IOC member from Czechoslovakia, during the 41st IOC Session in Stockholm (Sweden) to promote the Olympic spirit.
ii.It was officially adopted during the 42nd IOC Session held in January 1948 at St. Moritz (Switzerland).
iii.The first International Olympic Day was celebrated on 23rd June 1948 by nine countries: Portugal, Greece, Austria, Canada, Switzerland, Great Britain, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Belgium.
Olympic Symbol:
The Olympic symbol, consisting of five interlinked rings in blue, yellow, black, green, and red, was designed by Pierre de Coubertin, recognized as the founder of the modern Olympic movement, in 1913 to represent the unity of the five continents.
Olympic Day in the Olympic Charter:
i.The observance of Olympic Day was formally recognised in the 1978 edition of the Olympic Charter, where the IOC recommended that all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) organise Olympic Day annually.
ii.The Charter advises NOCs to regularly conduct Olympic Day or Olympic Week events, preferably every year, with the objective of promoting the Olympic Movement and encouraging wider participation in sports and Olympic values at the national level.
Olympic Day Run:
i.In 1987, the Olympic Day Run was introduced as a non-competitive event held by over 150 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) across the world to encourage community participation and promote physical fitness.
ii.Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS): The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), Government of India (GoI) launched the TOPS in 2014 to support India’s Olympic athletes.
- Revamped in 2018, it offers monthly stipends of Rs 50,000, funding for training, coaching, and equipment, technical support from the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) under the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
Points to Note:
i.IOC Presidential Election: During the 144th IOC Session in March 2025 in Greece, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe was elected as the first female and first African IOC President
ii.Lausanne (Switzerland) was officially designated as the Olympic Capital in 1994 to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the IOC.
About the International Olympic Committee (IOC):
President– Kirsty Coventry
Headquarters– Lausanne, Switzerland
Motto – Citius, Altius, Fortius – Faster, Higher, Stronger -Together
