International Olympic Day is observed every year on June 23 to mark the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894 in Paris. The 2026 edition carries the theme ‘You Can Do This. Let’s Move’ , an invitation from the IOC and the World Health Organization to get people, especially young people, to overcome self-doubt and start moving. The day stands as the biggest annual celebration of sport and physical activity worldwide, rooted in the vision of Baron Pierre de Coubertin who revived the Olympic Games in the modern era.
The Founding of the IOC and the Birth of Olympic Day
The International Olympic Committee was founded on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne University in Paris by French educator and historian Baron Pierre de Coubertin. Delegates from 12 nations gathered for the International Congress for the Re-establishment of the Olympic Games, where they unanimously decided to revive the ancient Greek tradition of athletic competition. The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.
The idea of celebrating an annual Olympic Day was first proposed in 1947 during the 41st IOC Session in Stockholm by Dr Gruss, an IOC member from Czechoslovakia. The proposal was formally adopted at the 42nd IOC Session in St Moritz in January 1948. National Olympic Committees (NOCs) were asked to choose a date between 17 and 24 June to mark the occasion. The first Olympic Day was celebrated on 23 June 1948, with nine countries participating: Portugal, Greece, Austria, Canada, Switzerland, Great Britain, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Belgium. On that day, IOC President Sigfrid Edstrom delivered a message to the young people of the world.
The Olympic Charter officially recommended in its 1978 edition that all NOCs celebrate Olympic Day to promote the Olympic Movement. The Olympic Day Run was launched in 1987 as the core activity of the celebration. It began with 45 participating NOCs and has grown to include more than 150 NOCs today.
The Three Core Olympic Values
The Olympic Movement is built on three fundamental values. Excellence means giving one’s best, whether on the field or in life. Friendship encourages mutual understanding, solidarity, and peace among people through sport. Respect involves fair play, respect for oneself, for others, and for the rules. Together, these values form the ethical foundation of Olympism, a philosophy that blends sport with culture, education, and international cooperation.
The IOC is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organisation headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It oversees the Olympic Movement, which includes the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games, and the Paralympic Games. The IOC redistributes more than 90 percent of its income to the wider sporting movement, with the equivalent of nearly USD 4.7 million going to athletes and sports organisations every day.
The Let’s Move Initiative and the 2026 Theme
The Let’s Move initiative was launched by the IOC in 2022 in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) . It was created in response to worrying global data showing that nearly one-third of adults and four out of five young people do not meet recommended daily physical activity levels, contributing to growing health challenges worldwide. The initiative aims to inspire and enable people to discover the benefits of movement and sports participation.
For 2026, the Let’s Move campaign carries the theme ‘You Can Do This. Let’s Move’ . The message is specifically designed to empower young people to take their first step toward physical activity by normalising feelings of awkwardness, imperfection, and uncertainty. Research shows that self-doubt is a major barrier to participation in sport among young people, and even brief bouts of activity can provide an immediate boost to mood and energy.
The campaign featured over 150 events and opportunities across the Olympic Movement. National Olympic Committees, International Sports Federations, and Organising Committees of Olympic Games created community events worldwide. In India, the IOC partnered with the Abhinav Bindra Foundation and Reliance Foundation to bring the Let’s Move campaign to schools through athlete-led content and educational programmes.
Worldwide Olympic Partners including Alibaba, Allianz, Deloitte, and JP Morgan Chase also joined the movement with employee wellness initiatives. For the first time, community champions from the IOC-supported sport for sustainable development network were mobilised, organising more than 60 grassroots events across the Olympism365 network.
The Significance of Olympic Day
Olympic Day is more than a commemoration of a historical event. It serves as the largest global platform for promoting mass participation in sport and the values of the Olympic Movement. The day reinforces the idea that sport is for everyone, regardless of age, ability, or background.
For India, the day carries special resonance. Indian athletes such as Abhinav Bindra (Indias first individual Olympic gold medalist, 2008), Neeraj Chopra (gold in javelin, 2020 Tokyo Olympics), and PV Sindhu (medalist in badminton across two Olympics) have inspired a generation to take up sport. The IOC’s collaboration with Indian foundations for the 2026 Let’s Move campaign reflects the growing emphasis on grassroots sports development in the country.
The worldwide inactivity crisis gives Olympic Day added urgency. Physical inactivity is linked to non-communicable diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. By encouraging even small daily movements, Olympic Day contributes to broader public health goals. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called the Let’s Move initiative critical for health and well-being, noting that physical activity adds years to life and eases pressure on health systems.
Key Takeaways
- International Olympic Day is observed annually on 23 June to commemorate the founding of the International Olympic Committee in 1894.
- The IOC was founded at the Sorbonne University in Paris by Baron Pierre de Coubertin with delegates from 12 nations.
- The first Olympic Day was celebrated in 1948, and the Olympic Day Run was introduced in 1987 with 45 NOCs.
- The Let’s Move initiative was launched by the IOC and WHO in 2022 to combat global physical inactivity.
- The 2026 Olympic Day theme is ‘You Can Do This. Let’s Move’ , focusing on overcoming self-doubt in young people.
- The three core Olympic values are Excellence, Friendship, and Respect.
- The IOC is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and redistributes more than 90 percent of its income to the sporting movement.
