The Paris Olympic Games 2024 are only a few days away from getting kicked off in the French Capital. Over 10000 athletes descend to Paris for the Quadrennial event set to commence on July 26.
As the eyes will be pinned on the athletes fighting for glory at the Summer Games, the ethos and values behind the idea of sport shall not go unnoticed. It brings together the communities from vast backgrounds onto one common stage from across the borders.
French ambassador Thierry Mathou has shed light on the five famous Olympic rings in French style in his column for the Times of India. In general, the Olympic symbol consists of five rings, equal in size but of different colours from left to right, blue, yellow, black, green and red. "The Olympic symbol (the Olympic rings) expresses the activity of the Olympic Movement and represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games," the Olympics website explains the general meaning of the rings.
Mathou has explained the Olympic symbol in French style with an Indian connection to it. He delves into France's ideas of Innovation, Sustainability, International solidarity, Equality and inclusivity, Indo-French sports cooperation and Bringing the Games to India.
The French ambassador points out France's idea of Innovation with the historic move of organizing the opening ceremony of the Summer Games not in a Stadium but out in a city, along with the Seine river, which Mathou puts it as "a symbol of our eagerness to be open to all."
He also highlights France's innovation of not building new and ad hoc infra, but organizing the Games on 95% existing or temporary-built venues.
He pinpoints that their Sustainability idea puts progress and environmental concerns hand-in-hand. The Paris Games will have fewer venues built with "sustainable construction", "powering every venue with renewable energy", "renting rather than buying," and "mapping all the resources needed to ensure nothing will be wasted" once the Games finish.
For International solidarity, Mothou says that France has a believe that the Olympic and Paralympic act as a catalyst for International cooperation. He says that French president Emmanuel Macron will host a "Summit for Sport and Sustainable Development" one day ahead of the opening ceremony of the Games. The Summit is supported by the French Development Agency which also has a 16-year-old partnership with India.
Mothou also highlights the importance of Equality and inclusivity citing that the Paris Games' slogan itself is "Games Wide Open". The Games will create history by ensuring equal male and female participation of the athletes. This idea also talks about the investments towards spectators of disabilities. The French Capital will have 100% bus and tram lines wheelchair-friendly.
The Indo-French sports cooperation shares the "same vision" of the two nations "of sports for good". President Macron and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a move to make sports a dimension of the cooperation between the two nations. "An Indian expert security K9 team" is also in Paris for security.
The final idea of "Bringing the Games" to India highlights that France will be setting up Fan Zones for Indian sports fans across India. The country welcomes the Indian Olympic delegation and spectators but extends an extra hand to let the Indian fans at home experience the joy of sport in the Fan Zones, which will be hosted by Alliances Francaises.
