Important Days

International Olympic Day observed on June 23

Tuesday, 23 June 2026 5 min readSource: Olympics.comArticle 4 of 8

International Olympic Day is observed every year on June 23 to commemorate the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on June 23, 1894, at the Sorbonne in Paris, where Pierre de Coubertin revived the modern Olympic Movement. The day promotes the message 'Move, Learn, Discover' and encourages people of all ages and abilities to take part in sport and physical activity, regardless of background or skill. Sporting bodies, schools and Olympic associations worldwide — including the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) — mark the day with runs, fitness events and awareness activities, reinforcing the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

Key Facts & Details

8 points

1
International Olympic Day is observed annually on June 23.
2
It commemorates the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on June 23, 1894, in Paris.
3
The modern Olympic Movement was revived by Pierre de Coubertin.
4
The day's pillars are 'Move, Learn, Discover', promoting sport for all.
5
It reinforces the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

Deep Dive

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The IOC is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement.
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The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, two years after the IOC's founding.
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The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is the national body that coordinates India's participation in the Olympics and Asian Games.

Exam Focus

Examiners may test the date (June 23), what it commemorates (IOC founding, 1894), the founder of the modern movement (Pierre de Coubertin) and the IOC headquarters (Lausanne).

Exam Relevance & Angle

Important Days, with their date and the body/person behind them, are a staple GA category across banking, SSC and railway exams; Olympic Day links to the IOC and the Olympic Movement.

Target Exams

SBI POSBI ClerkIBPS POIBPS ClerkSSC CGLSSC CHSLRRB NTPCLIC AAOUPSC CSEState PCS

Background & Context

International Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to mark the establishment of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on 23 June 1894, when Pierre de Coubertin and others met at the Sorbonne in Paris to revive the Olympic Games. The IOC, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, is the supreme authority of the worldwide Olympic Movement and organises the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896. Olympic Day is now celebrated globally around the three pillars 'Move, Learn, Discover', with national Olympic committees — such as the Indian Olympic Association — organising mass-participation events to promote fitness and the Olympic ideals.