
International Olympic Day 2025: History, significance, theme, and how the world celebrates the day
Image credits: X
Sports play a major role in our lives. While for some watching it is an adrenaline rush, for others participating is a dream. The Olympics, as a global sports tournament, binds the people of the world in a saga that celebrates friendly competition and the spirit of sports with enthusiasm and spirit.
International Olympic Day is celebrated annually on June 23. With the aim to commemorate the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the day is a reminder of how far humanity has come when it comes to sports and how it has been a binding cloth of brotherhood and sportsmanship for countries and people across the globe.
International Olympic Day 2025
: History
Image credits: X
The idea of a day honouring the Olympics was first presented in 1947, by Doctor Gruss of Czechoslovakia.
He suggested creating a day that promoted and celebrated the values of the Olympics.
Thus, the first International Olympic Day was celebrated in 1948 by the International Olympic Committee to honour the founding of the modern-day Olympic movement. It also celebrated the establishment of the International Olympic Committee by French educator Pierre de Coubertin in Paris on June 23, 1894.
While it was initially observed by only nine countries, over the years it has grown into a global event that has its yearly themes and celebrations involving over 200 National Olympic Committees and millions of participants.
International Olympic Day 2025: Significance
International Olympics Day is not just about celebrating sports and sportsmen. It is about everyone who loves sports. It is aimed at getting more and more people involved in sports either at a professional or personal level.
It encourages people to actively participate in physical activity and ensure better health. It fosters a global community of sports lovers who value the universal language and art of sports and celebrate each other with respect and solidarity.
One of the most important points raised by the International Olympics Day is the idea of inclusion and advocacy for social causes such as gender equality, mental health, disability inclusion, anti-discrimination efforts and more.
International Olympic Day 2025: Theme
Image credits: X
In 2025, the theme of the International Olympic Day is "Let's Move?" Launched by the IOC in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), it encourages people to engage in physical activity and fosters motivation, community and fun.
The campaign invites people to invite a "+1" to join them in walking, running, dancing or any other activities to create a sense of belonging and eradicate feelings of loneliness.
International Olympics Day advocates that sports are for everyone. No matter where you are and what you are doing, you can always participate in one sport or another and feel alive in the sense of participation and belonging that it brings with it. So gather with your friends and family and get moving with sports!
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
33 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Kirsty Coventry takes over as first woman IOC president
The first female and first African president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, was inaugurated in the role Monday (June 23, 2025) on the organisation's 131st birthday with praise that the Olympic movement was 'in the best of hands.' Ms. Coventry, a two-time Olympic gold medallist in swimming for Zimbabwe, finally and formally takes office Tuesday (June 23, 2025), aged just 41 after decisively winning a seven-candidate election in March to succeed Thomas Bach. Ms. Coventry cited her family, including her two young daughters, as 'my rocks, my inspiration' to lead the International Olympic Committee through the next eight years, including the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. 'You are my constant reminders of why we do what we do every single day,' Ms. Coventry said, addressing six-year-old Ella seated near the front of the ceremony 'You are a constant reminder of why this movement is relevant, why it needs to change, why we need to embrace the new ways,' the new president said. 'And you will be a constant reminder for many years to come on the decisions that we all take together.' She thanked her husband, Tyrone Seward, because 'you have always stood by my side and never said 'No.' And I appreciate that because that is something that doesn't come very often.' Ms. Coventry, a former swim team standout at Auburn University, said Olympic leaders were 'guardians of a platform ... to inspire, to change lives, to bring hope.' Bach's voice had cracked with emotion minutes earlier as he handed over a symbolic key to the presidency to his protégé in Olympic politics. The 71-year-old German lawyer, an Olympic champion in team fencing in 1976, leaves after the maximum 12 years in an office he said was now in the 'best of hands' with Ms. Coventry. 'I believe with all my heart that the Olympic movement is ready for the future,' said Bach, adding he had 'given all I could' to the IOC and the games. The ceremony took place in a temporary building in the gardens of Olympic House, designed in the style of the Grand Palais in Paris that hosted fencing and taekwondo at the Summer Games last year. A steamy, humid day at the IOC's lakeside modern headquarters saw a sudden downpour of rain minutes before the scheduled start. It forced Bach and Ms. Coventry to shelter under a shared umbrella as they walked from the villa that was the former Olympic home. The hour-long ceremony included a four-minute montage of tributes to Bach, who now becomes the IOC's honorary president. He has expressed a wish to counsel his successor. Ms. Coventry's first day at the office will feature a closed-door session to hear the views of around 100 IOC members. They include current and former heads of state, business leaders and billionaires, past and current Olympic athletes, plus leaders of Olympic sports. In a team photo taken after the handover ceremony, the IOC member who stayed closest to Ms. Coventry was Nita Ambani, a member of the richest family in India who is key to the country's ambitions to host the 2036 Olympics. Picking the host shapes as one of the biggest decisions during the new president's first term. Asia seems favored and Middle East neighbors Qatar and Saudi Arabia also are preparing bids in the more flexible and unpredictable process that lets the IOC fast-track a preferred option to avoid a contested vote. A theme of Ms. Coventry's election opponents — including one of her four IOC vice presidents, Juan Antonio Samaranch — was the members' wish to be more involved in consultation and decision-making after Bach's hands-on presidency. Their first chance to air views comes Tuesday. 'It's an important step to listen and to give people the opportunity to talk,' William Blick, a member from Uganda, told The Associated Press while welcoming the powerful symbol of electing a first IOC leader from Africa who also was a young woman. 'It's a very good way for her to start.'


India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"Govt is committed to develop Uttarakhand as Khel Bhumi": Uttarakhand CM Dhami
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 23 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday participated in the program organised at Parade Ground in Dehradun on the occasion of International Olympic Day. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also honoured the players who won medals at the international and national levels and also administered the oath of sportsmanship to the players. He said that this day is dedicated to the values of sportsmanship, unity and peace. Olympics are not just a competition, but a symbol of dedication, sadhana and national pride. Chief Minister Dhami said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, extensive work has been done to promote sports in the country. India is now emerging as a winner, not just a participant in sports. In the 2023 Asian Games, India performed best with 107 medals, while 126 players from India qualified for the Olympics 2020, which shows the strength of the sports ecosystem in the country. He further said that the state government is committed to develop Uttarakhand as 'Khel Bhumi'. In the recently held 38th National Games, the players of Uttarakhand made the state proud by winning 103 medals. He added that work is being done rapidly towards the establishment of 23 sports academies, Sports University Haldwani and Women's Sports College Lohaghat in eight major cities of the state. The Chief Minister said that under the sports policy, the state government is running schemes like out of turn government jobs, sports allowance, and Uttarakhand Khel Ratna and Himalaya Khel Ratna awards to medal winning players. Four per cent sports quota has been implemented for players in state services. Incentive amount is being transferred through DBT to 3900 players under the Chief Minister's Udyaman Khiladi Unnayan Yojana and 2155 players under the Chief Minister's Incentive Scheme. Sports Minister Rekha Arya said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, many provisions have been made in the new sports policy, keeping in mind the facilities of the players. Sports infrastructure has developed rapidly in the state. Uttarakhand got the opportunity to host the 38th National Games, in which the players of Uttarakhand had a commendable performance. (ANI)


India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Ostrava Golden Spike: Neeraj recalls watching Usain Bolt as a kid ahead of competition debut
Ostrava [Czech Republic], June 23 (ANI): Ahead of the Ostrava Golden Spike event taking place on Tuesday, India's world champion and Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra recalled and admired legendary 11-time world champion sprinter Usain Bolt, who was a regular fixture at the event during his playing days. Neeraj will be making his debut at the event after missing out on it last year due to an injury. Ahead of the event in a press meet, Neeraj expressed his admiration for the eight-time Olympic gold medalist and 11-time world champion sprinter and spoke on his preparations and mindset heading into the competition. Neeraj attended the last year's meet as a special guest. 'When I was a kid, I watched a lot of videos and photos of athletes like Usain Bolt competing here. I came last year, but I did not compete because of injury,' Neeraj said as quoted by 'Now I feel good, but I do not want to put any pressure on myself for (another) 90m. But I will try really hard,' he added. Indian superstar heads into the event after a second-place finish and 90 m-plus throw at the Doha Diamond League and a victory at the Paris Diamond League last week. He would be aiming to continue his momentum in Czechia. 'It was not easy, the competition in Paris was quite late. First throw was good, but I don't know what happened then... My last DL win was in Lausanne 2023, so at the end, I am happy already having a DL win this year,' Neeraj said. The Ostrava meet will be taking place at the home turf of his coach Jan Zelezny, who holds the world record in men's javelin throw with 98.48 m in 1996. Neeraj spoke about his equation with the coach 'I am really happy to work with such a great athlete and coach. I have already thrown 90m this year after a little bit more improvement in technique. So let us see when it comes next time, but I'm ready. Recently, we have done a good training in Nymbuk, so I will do my best here in Ostrava,' Neeraj stated. Zelezny, who was also present at the event, hailed Neeraj for popularising the javelin throw at Indian and global level, saying. 'It is important for javelin and throws in general as athletics, it is not only about sprints. Neeraj opened the doors to other countries, it is great for our sport.' This will be Neeraj's fifth event this season as he aims to defend his world title during the World Athletics Championships in September at Tokyo. After Ostrava, Neeraj's next event will be at home, a competition named after him, the Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru on July 5. (ANI)