POSTED: Tuesday June 23rd 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tokyo 2016 joins International Olympic Day celebrations

People of Japan joined in observing International Olympic Day following recent celebratory events including the Olympic Day Run in Osaka and the JOC Olympic Concert in Tokyo

Tokyo, 23 June 2009 –
The people of Japan joined the world today in observing International
Olympic Day following recent celebratory events including the Olympic
Day Run in Osaka and the JOC Olympic Concert in Tokyo. Large turnouts
to both events was evidence of the nation’s passionate support for
Tokyo 2016 and its bid to create a 100-year legacy for the Olympic
Movement.

International Olympic Day is observed every year to commemorate the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which was established under the leadership of Baron Pierre de Coubertin in Paris on 23 June 1894. The Olympic Games have since become the pinnacle of world sport, also reflecting the Olympic Movement’s values of friendship, respect and excellence.

The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) hosted the Olympic Day Run in Osaka on 7 June. The Tokyo 2016 booth was packed with participants taking time out to write messages of support for the Bid’s vision of the most compact, sustainable and environmentally-friendly Games in history. Held every year since 1987, the 5 km fun run is open to the general public and encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to engage in sport and healthy living. The event is hugely popular, not least due to the opportunities it brings for participants to meet some of Japan’s most famous Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

In keeping with the Olympic Movement’s strong emphasis on uniting sport with culture, and Japan’s long-standing strength in both areas, the JOC has also hosted an evening of classical music to jointly celebrate International Olympic Day and Tokyo 2016. Thousands of people from inside and outside Japan’s vibrant capital city turned out to experience world-class performances in the heart of the city - something which will be replicated in sporting terms if Tokyo is chosen to host the 2016 Games.

Audiences were wowed by soloists Nanae Mimura and Wu Ru-Jun, and the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Masahiko Enkoji. The music, accompanied by highlights from past Olympic Games shown on a big screen behind the orchestra, created a spectacular evening of entertainment and inspiration.

Chair and CEO of Tokyo 2016 Dr Ichiro Kono said:

“After two symbolic Olympic Day events held earlier this month, today we call on the citizens of Japan, Asia and the world to unite together in a spirit of peace, international fellowship and our mutual passion for sport. In celebrating International Olympic Day, Tokyo 2016 reaffirms its commitment to the Olympic Movement and to setting the stage for heroes through a Games in the heart of the city.

“Alongside initiatives such as the ‘Olympic Games for All’ school roadshows and the introduction of the Olympic textbook to classrooms across Japan, our International Olympic Day celebrations demonstrate our tireless work to educate people of all ages on the values and importance of Olympism.”

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Keywords · Japan · Tokyo 2016 · International Olympic Day · IOC · Olympic Games

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