environmental protection, peace-building, local community development, friendship, and respect of all human beings.
3. Discover: is all about inviting and encouraging people to try new sports and activities that they have never done before. It is also an opportunity to introduce themselves to sports which they may not have easy access to or are lesser popular in their region.
In the 1978 edition of the Olympic Charter, the IOC recommended for the first time that all NOCs organise an Olympic Day to promote the Olympic Movement.
The Olympic Day Run can be considered the core activity of Olympic Day. First launched in 1987, the Olympic run was about encouraging all NOCs to celebrate Olympic Day and promoting the practice of mass sport. It’s been a huge success, growing from 45 to more than 150 participating NOCs.
To commemorate International Olympic Day, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Family in collaboration with the Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) will be holding a ‘Young Sportsmen Family’ forum today.
On the same day, the youth and sport department alongside Socga and the National Sports Council will also be organising the annual Olympic Run which is to take place at the Olympic House at 4.45pm.
Meanwhile, in his message this year, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach writes:
“When our founder, Pierre de Coubertin, revived the Olympic Games in 1894, he saw it as a way to promote peace among nations and people. Always the visionary, he said: ‘Should the institution of the Olympic Games prosper, it can become a potent factor in securing universal peace.’
“Therefore, the purpose of the Olympic Movement was always to promote peace through sport.
“This Olympic Day, when we celebrate the creation of the Olympic Movement, is therefore the perfect moment to remind ourselves of this peace mission.
“Sport always builds bridges and brings people together in peace and solidarity. In these difficult times we are living through, with conflict and division on the rise, we need this unifying power of sport more than ever before.
“This Olympic spirit guides us as we strive to go faster, aim higher, become stronger, by standing together – for a peaceful world.
“On this Olympic Day, please join us as we call on everyone around the world: give peace a chance.”
Source: Seychelles Nation
