International Olympic Day 2023: Date, Theme, Significance and History

International Olympic Day 2023

World Olympic Day or International Olympic Day is observed globally on June 23 to honor the establishment of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and encourage the principles upheld by the Olympic Movement. It is a day filled with sports events like races, displays, music, and informative workshops featuring athletes from various countries.

World Olympic Day was created in 1948 as a tribute to June 23, 1894, when the inception of the modern Olympic Games took place at the Sorbonne in Paris. The aim of Olympic Day is to foster global engagement in sports, irrespective of age, gender, or athletic aptitude. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) urges National Olympic Committees (NOCs) worldwide to arrange events and initiatives on this day to encourage sports participation and uphold Olympic principles.

Theme of Olympic Day 2023

The theme of this year’s Olympic Day is ‘Let’s Move’ which aims to inspire people around the world to make time for daily physical activity. While the world is moving faster than ever, people are moving less with research showing over 80 per cent of young people fail to reach the daily activity level recommended for optimum mental and physical health. This 23 June is the start of a new global movement to make time to move.

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When was the first Olympic Day?

The first ever Olympic Day was celebrated on 23 June 1948. Portugal, Greece, Austria, Canada, Switzerland, Great Britain, Uruguay, Venezuela and Belgium organised an Olympic Day in their respective countries and Sigfrid Edström, IOC President at the time, relayed a message to the young people of the world. 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.

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