Olympic Day is celebrated on the 23rd of June every year to commemorate the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894 by Baron Pierre de Courbertin.
The first Olympic Day was held in 1948, however, the first Olympic Day Run was held in 1987. In 2023, about 15 million participants from 157 out of 206 NOCs took part in the celebration.
Purpose
Olympic Day is a day when the world celebrates sports, health and being together, and the Olympic Values. This year, however, in order to maximize the impact of the Run and avoid it being just another run, the GNOC would be organizing an ‘Inclusive Health Walk’ on Saturday 22nd June 2924.
And based on the pillars move, learn and discover together for a better world, the event would encourage people of all ages and walks of life to participate in physical activity and sport and lead active and healthy lives.
The Olympic Charter says: “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”
This year, however, the Gambia National Olympic Committee in its effort to:
* ensure that all sport remain relevant and attractive to all
* encourage a healthy interactive relationship between the different sporting disciplines and their various members,
* promote and enhance Inclusion
This year’s celebration would take the form of a 3km health walk which targets all National Sports Associations/Federations and their members. And based on the pillars, would:
* MOVE
Encourage people of all ages and abilities to Go beyond the run and celebrate the joy that only sport can give us.
* LEARN
Provide a great opportunity to highlight the role physical activity and sport play in improving social conditions that could greatly impact the community – thus also celebrate friendship and demonstrate respect and inspire excellence.
* DISCOVER
Offer people the opportunity to try physical activity and sport that they might not have tried before and experience the joy of coming together for a better world.
The Gambia National Olympic Committee will celebrate this years event on Saturday June 22nd 2024 with the following events
The 3km All Inclusive Health Walk:
Would showcase representatives from all National Sports Associations/Federations and dignitaries regardless of athletic ability.
Cyclists would serve as escorts ahead and flank the pack.
The Challenged participants would head the pack behind the cyclists.
A banner attached to a vehicle ahead of the riders announce the event, whilst another would be placed at the entrance into the Olympafric Centre.
Everyone involved in the event is expected to assemble at the Westfield Youth Monument 09:00am.
The walk would end at the Olympic Olymparfica Centre
The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports would be the Guest of Honour
The IOC President’s Message would be relayed to all
About 400 people are expected to participate including dignitaries.
It is envisioned that these activities will:
* Promote the Olympic Values – striving for excellence, celebrating friendship and demonstrating respect
* Bring home the Olympic Message “The most important thing in the Olympic Movement is not the winning but to take part …. Just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle.”
It is envisioned that these activities will:
* Promote the Olympic Values – striving for excellence, celebrating friendship and demonstrating respect
* Bring home the Olympic Message “The most important thing in the Olympic Movement is not the winning but to take part …. Just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle.”
* Make it possible for National Sports Associations to or enhance interaction and establish collaboration among each other
* Greatly inspire people of all ages to develop passion for physical activity and sports which may evolve into inspiration to develop specialized skills in various areas of interest.
