IOC launches Tokyo 2020 #StrongerTogether Campaign
June 25, 2021
With less than a month to go until the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, this week the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched a global campaign that celebrates athlete's journeys to the Olympic Games and "how they kept moving even when the world around them stopped due to the pandemic."
Launched just ahead of Olympic Day (June 23), "Stronger Together" celebrates strength, resilience and determination to bring hope, unity and inspiration to people around the world. It features world-renowned athletes, including past and present Olympians Usain Bolt, Naomi Osaka, Andre De Grasse, Yusra Mardini and Nyjah Houston. Tony Hawk is also among the athletes as a nod to the skateboarding community which is entering its first-ever Games.
The film's people-centric message emphasises the IOC’s message of solidarity and the belief that the world moves forward only when it moves together - highlighting the power of the Olympic Games to unite people, communities and societies globally.
On Olympic Day, which recognises the founding of the IOC and the modern Olympic Movement in 1894, a number of activities took place on IOC’s digital platforms to celebrate the anniversary. People around the world were able to connect, chat and be inspired by some of the world’s best athletes, including a dedicated Olympic Day yoga session with Christy Prior, live chats with Usain Bolt and Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi, plus workout sessions and a Q&A with tennis star Venus Williams, to name just a few.
“In this extraordinary Olympic year, celebrating Olympic Day is even more special than usual,” said the IOC President, Thomas Bach. “On this Olympic Day, when the entire world has been facing the same struggles and fears because of the global coronavirus pandemic for far too long, the power of sport to bring hope and optimism takes on an even greater significance. Solidarity, hope and optimism – this is what the power of sport is all about.”
Additionally, 110 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) encouraged people to get active on Olympic Day, based on its three pillars of Move, Learn and Discover. In-person activities, where permitted, included races, outdoor games for families, introductions to new sports, meetings with Olympians and workshops on the Olympic values. Digital initiatives, such as virtual Olympic challenges, online workouts, virtual live chats with Olympians, online quizzes and webinars on the Olympic values were also held.