IOC President awards the Olympic Cup to the World Union of Olympic Cities
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach today awarded the Olympic Cup to the World Union of Olympic Cities – an association of former and future Olympic host cities – in recognition of its work to ensure the long-term legacy of the Olympic Games.
The World Union of Olympic Cities was created by the cities of Athens and Lausanne. Its mission is to ensure and promote sustainable legacies of the Olympic Games by facilitating an ongoing dialogue between former and future host cities of the Olympic Games. Currently, 40 cities are members of the Union.
The award ceremony took place during the 5th edition of the Smart Cities and Sport Summit – an initiative of the Union – currently taking place in Lausanne, Switzerland.
“The World Union keeps the Olympic flame alive across the globe by bringing together past and future Olympic host cities,” said President Bach, as he presented the award to Grégoire Junod, President of the World Union of Olympic Cities and Mayor of Lausanne. “In doing so, you are playing an essential role in ensuring the enduring legacy of the Olympic Games. You provide inspiring ideas and practical tools, and facilitate a permanent dialogue that supports all Olympic cities in preserving and promoting their unique legacy.”
“Thank you very much, Mr President, for this important mark of recognition and confidence in our work. We are very glad to be part of Olympic Agenda 2020 of the IOC and to contribute to the development of the Olympic Movement.”
During his address, President Bach highlighted the enhanced relevance of the World Union in the context of Olympic Agenda 2020 – the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement – which aims to make the hosting of the Olympic Games cheaper, easier and more sustainable.
“With Olympic Agenda 2020, we have turned the page and are writing a new chapter in the way future Olympic Games are organised,” said President Bach. “Thanks to our reforms, there is now a completely new approach from the candidature for and the delivery of the Games through to their legacy. The greater emphasis on incorporating legacy planning from the earliest stages of preparations for the Olympic Games translates into even greater importance to the work you are doing.
The Olympic Cup is awarded annually by the International Olympic Committee to an institution or association in recognition of its work to actively develop the Olympic Movement. It was created by the founder of the modern Olympic Movement, Pierre de Coubertin, in 1906.