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International Sports Day: Why is it Celebrated?

By Satabdi MazumdarOctober 13, 2022
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International Sports Day: Significance, History, and Objectives

Do you know when is Sports Day celebrated internationally? Do you know why it is celebrated and what its significance is? Well, here, we are going to learn all about it. Sport is a medium that brings all of us together. From coaches to players, everyone is a part of one team or the other in sports. We learn important and valuable lessons while playing sports.

The United Nations or the UN established April 6th as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace or International Sports Day. This day is celebrated to comprehend the power and significance of sport in promoting peace across nations and erasing the different cultural barriers all over the world.

All About International Sports Day and Its Importance

People Playing Basketball

Over the last few years, the world has experienced a huge loss in the form of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Finally, things are starting to look up and we sincerely need all the help that we can get for sure. During times like these, it is through the medium of sports that we can get over the different challenges that are going on in the world. It is time to work as a team and make determined efforts in order to create a more secure, sustainable, and peaceful future for the entire world.

Wishing You a Happy International Sports Day: Know More About This Eventful Day

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is an opportunity to properly recognize the role played by sports in building proper resilience in communities. Sports also play a very important role in the lives of individuals. Also, it has helped a lot of people recover from the after-effects of the pandemic. Sports actually have the potential to reach beyond the sporting and to take an upfront role in the climate-neutral journey. For instance, several sporting events can be hosted to raise more awareness of climate change and to educate people about climatic disasters and ways to prevent them. Sports organisations can choose to promote sustainable consumption of energy to defeat climate change issues. International Sports Day is one such occasion that can help in addressing these issues and solving them together.

Understanding the Significance of World Sports Day 

In order to learn about the International Day of Sports, it is important to understand why it is so important to celebrate sport the way we do in this day and age. The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace helps in facilitating healthy lifestyles as well as aids in the promotion of the International Olympic Committee’s emphasis on providing more access to sport. It is basically the day when some of the dominating sports people in the world work together with different communities. The main idea is to bring sporting openings in order to enrich the lives of people, specifically children.

This day might not be a public holiday but it can certainly be considered a global observance day for sure. The adoption of the International Day signifies the importance of recognizing that sports can actually be of great help in achieving numerous goals. Sports can help in the advancement of economic development, social prosperity, and human rights improvement as well. Sports basically have the power to align the energy and passion for a collective cause. That is something that can be nurtured and this is exactly what this day is for. The collective idea here is to harness the power of sports to improve the present and the future of the world.

History and Background of World Sports Day

The IOC and UN have a proper and unique commitment to using the agenda of sports as a definite tool for social change. These organisations have worked concurrently on different projects over many years. There were different sporting events such as the Olympic Games and much more to link the cultural understanding of people. It has been recognized by the United Nations that sports have a pretty vast reach, positive spirit, and unmatchable admiration. Hence, the potential of sports to contribute towards achieving the objectives of the United Nations regarding peace and development is quite heavy.

Therefore, in order to properly use the potential, the UN General Assembly made the declaration that the 6th of April will be considered as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. It basically marks the beginning of the maiden modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1986. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted the day in the year 2013, and ever since then, this day has been celebrated each year till today.

What was the Theme of International Sports Day 2022? 

Before Happy International Olympic Day was celebrated on the 23rd of June 2022, International Sports Day was celebrated. This year, the theme for the celebration was “Securing a Sustainable and Peaceful Future for All: The Contribution of Sport.” The theme was basically meant to provide an opportunity to properly commemorate the entire day and highlight the importance and utility of sports for sustainable development and progress of human rights. The headquarters of the UN in New York and other member countries propagated awareness about the part of sports in resolving different world issues, including climate crisis, hunger, poverty, etc. The members also issued some probable actions in order to reduce the aftermath of these world issues on this day.

Conclusion 

The Celebration of 6th April as International Sports Day further justifies the fact that sports have a major role to play in the improvement of lives and society. Can you recall any other sport-related day? Do you know when was the first International Olympic Day celebrated? It was on the 23rd of June, 1894. There are several other sports-related days that are meant to raise awareness about the importance of sports.


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