HANOI, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Laos, Vietnam and Thailand will jointly organize an Olympic Day Run, a mini marathon between Laos' Vientiane capital and Thailand's Nong Khai province, on June 28, Lao newspaper Vientiane Times reported Thursday.

The mini marathon, one of many Olympic Day Runs held worldwide, is mainly aimed at promoting the 25th South East Asian (SEA) Gamesto be held in Laos in 2009, and marking the 50th founding anniversary of the South East Asian Peninsular Games Federation next year.

Runners from the three countries are to cover a distance of seven kilometers, and walkers to cover five kilometers. The mini marathon will be jointly held by the Lao National Sports Committeeand the Olympic Committees of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.

In 1948, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved the idea of Olympic Day which would be used to commemorate its founding on June 23, 1894. Olympic Day was organized for the first time in 1948 with nine participating National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

In an effort to encourage all NOCs to commemorate and celebrate Olympic Day, the IOC Sport for All Commission launched the Olympic Day Run to promote the participation in sport by men, women and children from all over the world and all walks of life, regardless of athletic ability. The first Olympic Day Run was held in 1987 with 45 participating NOCs.

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