The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new campaign to inspire and enable people to move more every day.
The campaign is called ‘Let’s Move’ and will be led by Olympians such as Allyson Felix and Yusra Mardini. It will begin on Olympic Day, 23 June.
What is Olympic Day?
Olympic Day is a global celebration of sport and getting active, taking place annually on 23 June. It aims to commemorate the day that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded. It also celebrates the birth of the modern Olympic Games.
What is the new ‘Let’s Move’ campaign?
The campaign will encourage and support people to make time in their daily lives to move in any way, anywhere. It is anchored by an online workout with notable Olympians. These include American track and field athlete Allyson Felix, and Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini.
People are invited to schedule 30 minutes on this year’s Olympic Day to join the online workout from anywhere in the world. The goal is to turn this 30 minutes of movement into a daily habit.
In addition to the online workout, over 131 mass participation events will take place. These events will take place in all corners of the world, providing an opportunity for everyone to move together on Olympic Day.
Past and future Olympic city hosts will also take part in the campaign by encouraging people to exercise in their local communities. Paris 2024 has already introduced 30 minutes of physical activity as part of the school curriculum.
Why is this campaign needed?
Research has found that one in four adults do not meet the recommended minimum activity levels needed for optimum health. This figure rises dramatically to 80% of young people.
Not having enough time in the day is one of the most common barriers to reaching this goal. The World Health Organization suggests that starting with just 30 minutes of movement a day has significant health benefits for hearts, bodies and minds.
Regular physical activity has numerous health benefits. It can help prevent or manage certain diseases, like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancers. It also helps to prevent hypertension, and it reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. Being active also ensures healthy growth and development in young people and staying healthy in later life.
Highlighting the positive impact of sports
IOC President Thomas Bach said, “On Olympic Day, we celebrate the Olympic Movement’s mission to make the world a better place through sport. This year, together with the WHO, we are highlighting the positive impact sport has on both physical and mental health. We want to inspire the world to move more every day.”
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said, “Olympians are more than athletes. They are role models for people to enjoy sport and the benefits of physical activity. The Let’s Move initiative, supported by the WHO, combines the power of the Olympics and WHO’s advice on physical activity to help inspire and motivate people to move more for better health.”
Let’s Move are encouraging everyone to share how they are getting active on Olympic Day. You can use the hashtags #LetsMove #OlympicDay and tag @Olympics.
