Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) 

Celebrating Olympic Day

To build a peaceful and better world – The Olympic spirit

To commemorate the creation of the International Olympic Council (IOC) on 23 June 1894 in Paris, the IOC celebrated the first Olympic Day on 23 June 1948.

In January 1948 at its 42nd Session in St Moritz, Switzerland, the IOC approved the idea of an Olympic Day.

The first Olympic Day was celebrated on 23 June 1948. It was in 1947 during the 41st Session of the International Olympic Committee in Stockholm, that Doctor Gruss, IOC member in Czechoslovakia, presented a report on a World Olympic Day celebration which would primarily be a day of promoting the Olympic idea. The project was adopted some months later on the occasion of the 42nd IOC Session in St Moritz in January 1948. The National Olympic Committees were put in charge of organising this event and were requested to choose a date between 17 and 24 June, thereby celebrating the founding of the International Olympic Committee at the Sorbonne, Paris, on 23 June 1894, where Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic Games.

Olympic Day in the Charter

In the 1978 edition of the Olympic charter, the IOC recommended for the first time that all NOCs organise an Olympic Day to promote the Olympic Movement: “It is recommended that NOCs regularly organise (if possible each year) an Olympic Day intended to promote the Olympic Movement.”

Today’s Concept

These days, Olympic Day is developing into much more than a run or just a sports event. Based on the three pillars of “move”, “learn” and “discover”, NOCs are deploying sports, cultural and educational activities aimed at everybody – regardless of age, gender, social background or sporting ability.Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger)