Beijing proposes to designate Nov 25 as Olympic Culture Day

Photo: Courtesy of Civilization Magazine

In commemoration of the 160th anniversary of Pierre de Coubertin's birth, Beijing, the host city of the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2022 Winter Olympics, has proposed to establish November 25 as Olympic Culture Day, with the aim of honoring the significance of modern Olympic sports development and the dissemination of Olympic culture.

On November 25, 1892, Coubertin, hailed as the father of the modern Olympic Movement, delivered a historic speech now hailed as the Olympic Manifesto in Paris. His vision paved the way for the integration of diverse cultures and contemporary values into the global exploration of shared human values during the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.

Lou Xiaoqi, chief of Civilization Magazine of China, said the initiative proposes to designate November 25 as "Olympic Culture Day" to showcase how the modern Olympic cultural path - embracing school sports, community sports, urban sports, Olympic culture dissemination, Olympic spirit inheritance, and the Olympic Games - contributes to making the world better. 

"The Olympic Manifesto laid down the foundation and cultural value orientation of the modern Olym-pic Movement," Lou said. "The establishment of Olympic Culture Day precisely aims to make the world a better place through sports and to inspire new generations with timeless Olympic values."

On the sidelines of the commemorative ceremony, a small and friendly relay race was held at Beijing Huiwen Middle School, where Liu Changchun, the first Chinese athlete to compete in the Olympics, prac-ticed and trained before heading to Los Angeles for the 1932 Summer Olympics.

The race, dubbed Run toward Paris, has been held across China since 2022. The 2024 Paris Olympics will make the city the second after London to host the Olympics three times. 

"It is more important for mankind to use the Olympic spirit as an embodiment of the common values of all mankind in today's turbulent world, so that the whole world can unite in search of higher dreams and a better future," Lou said. 

A Chinese scroll themed on the Olympic Manifesto will also start its journey to Paris, as the summer of 2024 will see the French capital host the 33rd Olympics.

Under the guidance of the International Olympic Committee, Civilization Magazine launched a cam-paign in 2012 to promote the Olympic Manifesto globally. It has pioneered a new model for the dissemi-nation of Olympic culture, showcasing the intrinsic values of peace, inclusivity, and mutual respect inher-ent in the Olympic movement.

"Through participation in sports, individuals can convey their aspirations for a more peaceful world, propagate shared human values, and contribute to the construction of a global community of shared des-tiny," Lou noted.

"The objective is to inspire people worldwide, especially youth, irrespective of race, nationality or gen-der, to actively participate in and share the joy and beauty brought about by modern Olympic culture."