Let the games begin

Guided by the Olympic Agenda reforms, the Olympic Games are serving to advance the Sustainable Development Goals by promoting peace, greater solidarity within and among societies, and partnering to make the world a better place through sport

Under Italy’s presidency, G7 leaders will address a range of challenges, including climate change, the too many wars and conflicts plaguing our world, and artificial intelligence. These and the many other global challenges on the G7 agenda are too complex for any one country or organisation to solve on its own. Humankind will only find global solutions if we come together, united by a shared vision and common principles and rules.

The Olympic Games can contribute to making this vision a reality – because the Olympic Games is the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Olympic athletes send the powerful message that it is indeed possible to compete fiercely against each other and at the same time live peacefully together under one roof.

We are all equal

The Olympic Games can only make this contribution to a more peaceful world through a fundamental commitment to universality and solidarity. This is why the International Olympics Committee supports all the athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees and the athletes from the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. Solidarity for us means that in the Olympic Games there is no ‘global south’ or ‘global north’. At the Olympic Games, we are all equal.

But promoting peace is also about improving the lives of people. Here, sport can make a difference: sport is a low-cost, high-impact tool to support all countries to build a more peaceful, more equal and sustainable world for everyone.

The IOC is strengthening this important enabling role of sport and contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Guided by our Olympic Agenda reforms, we are strengthening collaboration with partners from G7 members and beyond, to advance the SDGs through sport in areas such as peace, health, education, gender equality, climate action and many more. The IOC is also embracing the potential of AI to strengthen the Olympic values of universality and solidarity across the world of sport.

A new era of Olympic Games

When the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 open in just a few weeks’ time, it will showcase a new era of Olympic Games: younger, more inclusive, more urban, more sustainable. These will be the very first Olympic Games inspired by the Olympic Agenda from start to finish.

The slogan ‘Games Wide Open’ is about creating inclusive Olympic Games in all aspects. Spectators will have the opportunity to become participants. Iconic monuments will be transformed into competition venues, bringing urban sports such as sport climbing, skateboarding or breaking into the heart of the city. The public can take part in events, such as the ‘Marathon Pour Tous’, when 40,000 people will run the same route just hours before the Olympic athletes. Already in 2020, Paris 2024 launched an ambitious programme introducing 30 minutes of daily exercise in primary schools throughout France and is on track to reach 4.2 million children.

Another significant milestone: full gender parity at the Olympic Games for the first time in history. The IOC has allocated exactly 50% of the quota places to female athletes and exactly 50% to male athletes.

When it comes to sustainability, Paris 2024 aims to cut emissions by 50% compared to previous Olympic Games. To achieve this, the games will rely on 100% renewable energy and use 95% existing or temporary venues. With these and other measures, Paris is on track to achieve this ambitious goal six years ahead of the global 2030 target set by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Sport for a better world

These are just a few examples that illustrate how Paris 2024 will showcase the contribution of sport to building a better world. Two years later, it will be Italy’s turn to showcase our new approach to sustainable winter sport. The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will pulsate with Italy’s passion for sport and highlight its unique culture and heritage.

We can only make this vision a reality by coming together – by embracing the Olympic motto: Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together. In this Olympic spirit, I extend the hand of the IOC to the G7 leaders to join forces in partnership to make the world a better and more peaceful place through sport.