By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone (NOC-SLE) on June 27, 2026, joined the global Olympic Movement in celebrating International Olympic Day with the successful staging of the Olympic Day Run Let’s Move 2026, promoting fitness, unity and healthy living through sport.
Observed annually on June 23, International Olympic Day commemorates the birth of the modern Olympic Games and brings together athletes and communities across the world to celebrate the Olympic spirit through physical activity and sports participation.
This year’s celebration in Sierra Leone attracted athletes, sports administrators, students and members of the public, all united in promoting the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.
Activities began with a symbolic Olympic Day Run from Bottom Mango, Wilberforce, to the Hill Station Tennis Club in Freetown. Participants from various national sporting associations took part in the run before showcasing their talents through a series of sports demonstration activities.
The Olympic Day Run forms part of the worldwide Olympic Day celebrations organized annually by National Olympic Committees to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace active lifestyles, promote social inclusion and recognise the transformative power of sport in society.
Following the run, participants gathered at the Hill Station Tennis Club for sports demonstrations and an Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) facilitated by the Dean of the Olympic Academy, Alie Gibril Koroma (AGK). The interactive session, which concluded with a question-and-answer segment, aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of the Olympic Movement while promoting values-based education capable of inspiring positive behaviour both on and off the field of play.
The celebration also reinforced the global Olympic Day message that sport remains a powerful vehicle for education, peace, friendship and social development, encouraging citizens to remain physically active while embracing values that unite people across cultures and communities.
International Olympic Day was first celebrated in 1948 to commemorate the establishment of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on June 23, 1894, in Paris by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, whose vision led to the revival of the ancient Olympic Games. What began as a celebration in just nine countries has since evolved into a worldwide movement involving millions of participants.
The NOC-SLE’s Vice President, Idris Massaqoui, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to promoting the Olympic ideals and encouraging greater public participation in sport as a catalyst for national development as he delivered the President of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) Mustapha Berraf’s ‘International Olympic Day Message’ on behalf of the NOC-SLE’s President Prince Vandy Sualley.
The celebration concluded with the presentation of certificates of participation to all those who took part in the Olympic Day activities, ending another successful edition of the global event in Sierra Leone.