Update from IKL

Welcome once again to the IKL Newsletter. There is as much activity as ever in the rich and varied IKL space, and this underlines the important role that we all play in supporting effective Games delivery.

The updates in this edition showcase well the underlying, evergreen importance of developing opportunities for community-based learning. This has also been evident in our work to support the Olympism365 team with the development of the communities of practice, which are so critical to their mission. As this team helps bring together projects and programmes that use sport to impact people’s lives in key areas of society, such as education, health and inclusion, a strategic collaboration with organisations and actors from other sectors is a key success factor.

As I write this, the IKL team here in Olympic House are progressively locking in detailed plans for the next 18 months. It’ll be a busy and challenging period, but equally one full of opportunity, as we complete the Paris cycle and optimise the learning opportunities from those Games. And, of course, most of these opportunities are also built on communities.

These are the communities that come together to support experiential observation opportunities, to learn from the Paris experience after the Games, to tweak and refine strategies for operational delivery, to study and analyse data to understand how it should inform decision making… I could go on – there are so many examples! It’s irrefutable in my view that stimulating knowledge exchange within these communities solves problems, improves quality and fosters innovation. 

Paris 2024 provides for a unique context, representing a “new era” of Olympic Games. They will be the first Games to be planned and delivered in line with the reforms of Olympic Agenda 2020 and they will serve as a blueprint that will help us shape future editions of the Olympic Games and inspire other major events. Let’s learn together from this exceptional experience and make the most of it!

I hope you enjoy the newsletter and, as ever, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’d be happy to discuss any of the content more deeply.

Chris Payne

IKL Associate Director