Olympic Milestones
Olympism
According to the Olympic Charter (Olympic.org – Olympic Charter):
Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example, social responsibility and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.
The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.
The Olympic Movement is�inspired by the values of Olympism. It covers the five continents. It reaches its peak with the bringing together of the world�s athletes at the great sports festival, the Olympic Games.
"The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." – Olympic.org – Commission for Culture and Olympic Education
According to the Development through Sport Committee (Olympic.org – Olympic Human Development through Sport):
"The idea of combining sport and development is not a new one. The founder of the IOC and reviver of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, was already in his time a strong advocate of international cooperation and of the social and human values of sport. Based on this long-time commitment as a socially responsible organization, the IOC is engaged in sports development at grass-roots level, aiming to both increase access to physical activity worldwide and to improve social and human wellbeing at large.
In the spirit of Olympism, the IOC has partnered with many organizations in order to use sport to drive social change. One of the many programs the IOC supports is the World Food Program (WFP), a school-feeding program that offers direct financial support for food supplies for children. They also provide sports equipment for fitness and social activities, in several countries in Africa and Asia. Additionally, "the IOC partners with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on the use of sport for development and peace activities within communities affected by high levels of criminality. The organization of sporting activities and the education of youngsters on solidarity, respect and peaceful coexistence are used to address violence among young people. The IOC also cooperates with the United Nations Human Settlement Program (UNHabitat) by mobilizing young people through sporting activities so that they can play a role in urban planning processes."
For more information on the IOC and Olympism, visit Olympic.org – Olympism in Action
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