It’s finally June, meaning that this year’s Olympic Day is fast approaching — let’s take a quick look again on what makes this day special for everyone.
Olympic Day, which falls a month before the Summer Olympic Games, is celebrated all around the world annually on June the 23rd. Everybody of all ages, genders, nationalities is welcome to join in on the celebration of sports, educational and cultural events such as ‘runs, exhibitions, music and educational seminars’.
The first ever Olympic Day was held on the 23rd of June 1948 at the Sorbonne, Paris. A few years later in 1987, the first Olympic Day Run was created, which is an event that is associated well with the day and held all over the world. The Olympic Day Run encouraged many National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to get as many people as they can to engage in sports more. In 1987, 45 NOCs participated, now, more than hundreds celebrate the Olympic Day Run.
However, what’s important to note is that Olympic Day is not just about running or sports itself — it’s much more than that. It aims to put focus on the basic 3 pillars of Olympic Day: move, learn and discover. Through these 3 pillars, it highlights the importance of being active in all areas; from sport, to education and to culture.
Last year in 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Olympic Movement celebrated Olympic Day in a much more different way than they used to: they created the world’s ‘largest 24 hour digital-first Olympic Workout’ where athletes and fans can workout together virtually in their homes. An amazing way to stay safe and healthy.
For Badminton Asia, our main theme of this year is ‘United in Triumph’. United in Triumph is about being together in times of both victory and hardships, and about being united in our goals and successes as well. Our theme aligns with what Olympic Day stands for and its basic 3 pillars.
Being ‘United in Triumph’ is not just about being united when it comes to winning in sports, but also being united in terms of learning through education and culture. Badminton Asia emphasizes the importance for achieving greater personal achievements in all areas of sport, education and culture. Additionally, with the year that we’ve had due to the COVID19 pandemic, United and Triumph also stand for winning and fighting against COVID19 together and pushing for a healthier and safer environment together.
Badminton Asia hopes that both Olympic Day and our theme of United in Triumph inspires everyone to push themselves to become the best that they can be anywhere.
Are you ready to take part in this year’s Olympic Day celebration?
