Beyond
the Games

Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Movement, believed that sport contributed to the harmonious and well-balanced development of the body, personality and mind. As such, interaction between sport, education and culture is encouraged by the IOC. The aim is to promote Olympism and Olympic ideals throughout the world and reinforce cooperation with educational institutions and NOCs with projects especially targeting young people.

The mission of the IOC is to not only ensure the celebration of the Olympic Games, but to also encourage the regular practice of sport by all people in society, regardless of sex, age, social background or economic status. This is done in many ways, year round and on all five continents. We want to increase access to sport for all and provide everyone, in particular young people, with the educational and health values of sport.

Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris. Every year the IOC encourages everyone – regardless of age, gender or athletic ability – to get active on 23 June.

The IOC was founded in 1894 on the belief that sport can contribute to peace and to the harmonious development of humankind. The Olympic Movement continues to work on a daily basis to use sport to promote peace and the Olympic principles around the world.