Olympic Day 2026 is being celebrated across the world on June 23 with a renewed focus on encouraging people, particularly young people, to become more physically active through sport and movement.
This year’s theme, “You Can Do This. Let’s Move”, is part of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) global Let’s Move initiative, developed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The campaign aims to inspire individuals to take their first step towards an active lifestyle by addressing one of the biggest barriers to participation in sport: self-doubt.
According to the IOC, many young people feel hesitant about joining sporting activities because they fear failure, judgment, or not being good enough. The 2026 campaign seeks to change that perception by promoting the message that everyone starts somewhere and that feeling uncertain is a normal part of the journey.
Encouraging the first step
The campaign comes at a time when physical inactivity among young people remains a growing concern. Research highlighted by the IOC shows that more than 81 per cent of young people worldwide do not achieve the recommended levels of daily physical activity needed for optimal physical and mental health.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the campaign is designed to remind people that confidence develops through action.
“Often, the hardest step is that first one,” Coventry said, adding that movement not only improves physical fitness but also helps build self-belief and community connections.
Olympic Day commemorates the founding of the International Olympic Committee on June 23, 1894, and has been celebrated annually since 1948. Over the years, it has evolved into a global movement promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.
As part of this year’s celebrations, National Olympic Committees and sports organisations around the world are hosting community events, school programmes and mass participation activities aimed at getting more people moving.
In India, the IOC is partnering with the Abhinav Bindra Foundation and Reliance Foundation to deliver school-based initiatives and athlete-led campaigns under the Let’s Move banner, extending the Olympic Day message to a wider audience.
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