As the Paris Olympic Games have just ended, with a sound legacy already on track, what are the main messages you would like to share with Olympic Cities?

Paris 2024 has set new benchmarks for the positive impact and legacy the Games can create for the local people and community and their environment. These were spectacular Olympic Games that were also more responsible, more sustainable and more inclusive.
The Games were fully aligned with Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s strategic roadmap which shifts the focus from the hosts adapting to the Games, to the Games adapting to the hosts and their economic, social and environmental needs.
Millions of people and businesses have benefitted from the Games initiatives even before the event’s kick-off: from children at French schools enjoying 30 minutes of sport every day to the more than 500 social businesses that were contracted to deliver the Games.
With a strong focus on social impact and sustainability, Paris 2024 proved that it is possible to host a global event with a reduced environmental impact, while creating social and economic benefits for generations to come.

Once the Games momentum is over, work continues with the Host city and Olympic legacy stakeholders.  To ensure that Olympic legacy is valued, how is this “transfer” to the various Olympic legacy stakeholders being organised?

Paris 2024 was a team effort from the start. The organizing Committee collaborated very closely with cities, regional and local authorities and the French National Olympic Committee to implement initiatives that would have a lasting impact beyond the Games. All impact and legacy programmes were either in partnership or co-constructed with legacy stakeholders.
For example, Paris 2024 joined forces with the French Ministry of National Education and healthcare experts to implement 30 minutes of physical exercise at school every day – a progamme which has been adopted as a national policy.
In partnership with cities in Seine-Saint-Denis and Marseille, Paris implemented the 1,2,3 Nagez! (1,2,3 Swim!) programme, which has provided free swimming lessons to over 36,000 children across France, including 9,400 from Seine-Saint-Denis, helping develop essential swimming skills and promoting water safety.
The Impact 2024 programme, supporting social innovation through sports at the grassroot level, was co-financed with the city of Paris, the Seine Saint Denis department and the national sport agency, amongst others.
The Olympic and Paralympic Week, which, over eight editions, engaged five million young people in sport, was implemented as a joint initiative between the French Ministry of National Education and Youth, the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, the Ministry of Sport and the sporting movement (CNOSF, CPSF), as well as school and university sports federations (UNSS, USEP, UGSEL, FFSU), and the Olympic and Paralympic Federations.
Efforts to open opportunities to social business in Paris 2024 tenders were supported from by the city of Paris and the association Les Canaux.
The legacy entities had a seat at the Paris 2024 Board and, in December 2023, a roadmap for the transition was decided and approved by all.

In 2023, the World Union of Olympic Cities opened its membership to all Olympic legacy stakeholders, now able to join as Affiliate members. What are the opportunities for Olympic legacy stakeholders in joining the Union?

In line with Agenda 2020+5 Recommendation 2 “Foster the delivery of lasting benefits to the Host communities prior to and after the Olympic Games”, the IOC explored ways to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration on Olympic Legacy while also strengthening the collaboration with the World Union of Olympic Cities.
The World Union of Olympic Cities initiative to open its membership to legacy entities was the perfect solution. We are very pleased with this development.
Joining the Union allows legacy entities to stay connected with their Olympic history and with others sharing a similar path. It means having access to a strong, dynamic and well consolidated network of organizations with similar interests, opportunities and challenges. They can have access to activities that engage, inform and promote dialogue, and have an opportunity to exchange on specific topics of interest. They can get inspired by initiatives carried out by Olympic cities and other Olympic legacy stakeholders. In addition, the annual events are an opportunity to expand connections with like-minded people from all around the world and experience Olympic legacies first-hand through visits organised by the Union.

This year in Lausanne, the Annual event of the Union will gather a wide constellation of actors involved in activating the Olympic legacy. This is a demonstration of the vitality and creativity in keeping the flame alive. How does the gathering of all actors in one network allow for a deeper and more comprehensive approach to action on Olympic legacy?

The annual event in Lausanne will be a unique moment to debrief on the experience of Paris 2024 with the host city and other legacy stakeholders, to engage in a dialogue with the International Olympic Committee and International Federations located in Lausanne, to exchange with Olympic hosts from all over the world, and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the designation of Lausanne as the Olympic Capital.