ON THE OCCASION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE (IDSDP), CELEBRATED ON APRIL 6, THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) LOOKS AT HOW SPORT AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES HAVE BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, BUILDING BRIDGES AND FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING.


A yearly celebration since 2014

Creating a historical link to the opening of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, 6 April was declared the IDSDP by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2013, and this has been celebrated each year since 2014.

The IOC, in its capacity as Permanent Observer to the UN, proposed and supported this initiative and its potential to recognise sports organisations’ role in contributing to social change and human development. More specifically, the day is an opportunity for the IOC to highlight how athletes and the Olympic Movement use sport to foster peace, reconciliation and development, and underline the power of the Olympic Games to promote tolerance and solidarity among the participants, fans and people all over the world.

Calling for solidarity and peace at the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony

At the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, on 4 February, IOC President Thomas Bach called for peace in front of a global TV audience of hundreds of millions of people.

“In our fragile world, where division, conflict and mistrust are on the rise, we show the world: yes, it is possible to be fierce rivals, while at the same time living peacefully and respectfully together. This is the mission of the Olympic Games: bringing us together in peaceful competition. Always building bridges, never erecting walls. Uniting humankind in all our diversity,” said President Bach, and concluded: “Give peace a chance.”

IOC