In another event to mark the one year until the host city for the 2024 Olympic Games is elected milestone, Paris 2024 launched a “Year of Olympism” in schools Wednesday across France on National Day of Sport. The event took place at the National Olympic Committee headquarters in Paris in the presence of 200 school children who also took part in a consultation meeting with athletes and sport and political leaders.
To celebrate the launch of the project, members of Paris 2024 led sports activities in schools across the country throughout the day.
Paris 2024 has partnered with the French Ministry of Education and the French National Olympic Committee to launch the project that supports the bid’s ambition to return Olympism to the heart of society and make it central to the lives of citizens.
The bid committee says the”Year of Olympism” will be rolled out across the upcoming school year focusing on raising the awareness and sharing the values of Olympism, and driving participation in sport among young people. It says the project will also include fun activities for younger age groups as well as educational tools relating to the history of the Olympics and Olympism and the Paris 2024 bid.
Paris 2024 Co-Chair and triple Olympic Champion Tony Estanguet represented the bid committee at the launch. He said, “via a Paris 2024 Games, we have a unique opportunity to return Olympism to the heart of Paris and France and make it central to the lives of our citizens – reflecting a key goal of Agenda 2020.”
“As we celebrate one year to go to the Host City decision in Lima, this fantastic initiative that will enable young people to learn more about Olympic history and play more school sport works in perfect harmony with the goal and the strategy that underpins our bid.
“Seeing so many young people celebrate sport and Olympism today gives us a great boost as we head into the final year of the campaign”.
Co-chair Bernard Lapasset said “as we enter the final year of the bid campaign, we are excited by the opportunities that lie ahead and we take strength in the incredible support we are receiving from young people, athletes and the many citizens we are meeting daily across Paris and France.”
On Tuesday Paris 2024 marked the one year milestone with a social media campaign using the hashtag #GagnonsEnsemble – meaning “together to win.” Athletes and the public took to Twitter, Facebook and other sites to share photographs of them showing the hand gesture that resembles the Olympic bid logo.
Paris is up against Budapest, Los Angeles and Rome for the right to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The International Olympic Committee will elect a winner next September 13 in Lima, Peru.
