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Olympic Day in action around the world

2013-06-25 09:21 IOC

24/06/2013 - People across the globe have got active to mark the 65th Olympic Day on 23 June. Celebrating the birth of the modern Olympic Movement, Olympic Day invites people of all ages and abilities to join in the fun, get moving, discover new sports and learn about the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

Spreading the word around the world
 
The large majority of the more than 200 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) across the world have organised Olympic Day events and activities, from fun runs to nutrition seminars, on or around 23 June.

In the United States, more than 700 sports and educational events are being organised from 21 to 30 June across the country, with nearly 370 American athletes attending to act as role models. The Australian NOC has invited high-level athletes to visit schools and share their experience on how sport has changed their lives.

As one of the nine NOCs to have celebrated the inaugural Olympic Day in 1948, Great Britain saw young people from across the country get involved in the celebrations. From Olympic runs to burning their own Olympic-type flame, schools seized the opportunity to teach pupils about cultures and sports, as well as promoting healthy living in a fun and engaging way. For its part, the University of Bath - which has organised the largest celebrations in the UK for more than a decade – planned a Family Fun Day, featuring mobile climbing walls and free taster sessions in a variety of sports, including bobsleigh.

In Bahrain, a marathon was held at the Dohat Arad Walkway in Muharraq, and a multitude of entertaining and educational activities were organised for children and adults to learn about the Olympic Movement and its values.

A full day of events was also held at Public Beach in the Cayman Islands, featuring sports such as cycling, football, rugby, golf, darts, swimming, volleyball, gymnastics and a 5km run/walk

The Brazilian Olympic Committee promoted a series of sports and cultural activities to celebrate Olympic Day. For instance, at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre in Rio de Janeiro, some 300 children from social projects were introduced to the Olympic values through chats with national sports idols and clinics on five different sports - fencing, field hockey, table tennis, archery and wrestling.

Olympic Day goes digital with Kobe Bryant
 
In addition to the multitude of activities taking place across the continents, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) digital platforms have been in Olympic Day mode. Reaching out to its millions of fans on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+, the IOC, joined by American basketball star Kobe Bryant, asked them to “Get Active” and upload a picture of them doing so to enter the Olympic Day contest. Currently recovering from an injury, the two-time Olympic gold medallist with the USA’s men’s basketball team is unable to run, jump or swim, and called upon the public to “get off the couch” and be “doubly active” for him.

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