From March 31 to April 4, the 9th Olympic and Paralympic Week (SOP) brought together more than 700,000 students in France and around the world in a celebration of sport, inclusion, and the values that underpin the Olympics.
Organized by the French National Olympic and Paralympic Sports Committees (CNOSF and CPSF), this event aims to keep alive the spirit of Paris 2024 while extending its impact.
Held under the theme “Cultivating the Joy of Sport”, this year’s SOP involved over 2,400 schools, offering a range of activities designed to inspire young people to be physically active, appreciate the principles of Olympism and Paralympism, and foster greater unity through sport.
Originally launched by Paris 2024 in 2017, Olympic and Paralympic Week has now engaged more than 5 million children and supported the initiation of over 17,500 related projects in education. The event continues to promote health, social cohesion, and universal values through physical activity.
This year’s SOP was also a chance to highlight the ongoing momentum toward the French Alps 2030 Olympics. The new Generation 2030 label, following in the footsteps of Generation 2024, aims to enable schools and educational institutions to bring the Olympic spirit into their routines by strengthening sport’s role in education and daily life.
Paris 2024 made physical activity a key priority in its legacy plans — for instance, by adding 30-minute activity sessions to the school day and offering free swimming lessons to over 36,000 children across France.
The Paris 2024 Olympics have fostered a powerful legacy for communities, helping to make sport a greater part of everyday routines and inspire future generations through shared values of friendship, respect, and excellence.
Quote by Marie Sallois, IOC Director for Sustainability:
“This Olympic Week shows how the Paris 2024 Games continue to make a profound and positive impact across France.”
David Lappartient, President of the CNOSF and IOC Member in France, added:
“With more than 700,000 participants, Olympic and Paralympic Week 2025 confirms the ongoing legacy of Paris 2024. This collective momentum helps instil in young people the values of sport — friendship, respect, and excellence — while inspiring future generations. Our thanks go to all those — from educators to coaches and athletes — who made it a success.”
Together, this strong mobilisation will enable us to keep the spirit alive all the way to the French Alps 2030 Olympics — and well beyond.
The “joy of sport” starts in Nice
The opening ceremony was hosted in Nice — a key French Alps 2030 venue — where over 600 students from nearby schools came together alongside a dozen Olympic and Paralympic athletes to celebrate sport.
The event was attended by Marie Barsacq, Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life and former Paris 2024 Impact and Legacy Director; Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region; Marie-Amélie Le Fur, President of the CPSF and French National Sports Agency; Astrid Guyart, Secretary General of the CNOSF; and Edgar Grospiron, President of the French Alps 2030 Organising Committee.
In just five years, the French Alps 2030 Olympics will bring the world together in celebration of sport — a moment that is much closer than it may seem. French athletes are already preparing to make their mark. “To do that, you need to believe — in yourself, in your ability, and in the possibility of creating the conditions for future success. I wish for all students to carry forward this enthusiasm for sport, which forms the basis for everything in life.” — Edgar Grospiron.
Athletes and Young People at the Heart of Olympic Week
During the SOP, 120 athletes — including 2025 ambassadors Manon Apithy-Brunet (fencing) and Arnaud Assoumani (Para athletics, long jump) — visited schools or connected remotely with children across France.
French Alps 2030 Continuing the Legacy
Looking toward the French Alps 2030 Olympics, Marie Barsacq visited La Plagne’s iconic bobsleigh track — originally constructed for the 1992 Albertville Olympics — which will be used once again in 2030. During the visit, she explained that the Generation 2024 label is evolving into Generation 2030, extending its reach to more schools, educational institutions, and training programs.
“The Olympic Week provided an opportunity to pass on the values of sport and the Olympics to more than 700,000 children. Our aim following Paris 2024 is to further boost sports participation among the younger generation. We must enable children to be physically active from an early age — that's the objective of the 30-minute daily activity sessions — and we will continue to aid educators and collaborate with our national team to make this happen.”
Additional initiatives presented during SOP include physical aptitude tests for sixth-grade students, enhanced training for educators, and pilot programs to improve access to sports facilities in several French regions.
Olympic Legacy
The Olympics leave a powerful, long-lasting legacy for their host cities, their people, and the Olympic Movement — extending well after the closing ceremony. The French approach focuses on creating a sustainable framework for future generations, instilling values and healthy habits through sport.
Organized by the French National Olympic and Paralympic Sports Committees (CNOSF and CPSF), this event aims to keep alive the spirit of Paris 2024 while extending its impact.
Held under the theme “Cultivating the Joy of Sport”, this year’s SOP involved over 2,400 schools, offering a range of activities designed to inspire young people to be physically active, appreciate the principles of Olympism and Paralympism, and foster greater unity through sport.
Originally launched by Paris 2024 in 2017, Olympic and Paralympic Week has now engaged more than 5 million children and supported the initiation of over 17,500 related projects in education. The event continues to promote health, social cohesion, and universal values through physical activity.
This year’s SOP was also a chance to highlight the ongoing momentum toward the French Alps 2030 Olympics. The new Generation 2030 label, following in the footsteps of Generation 2024, aims to enable schools and educational institutions to bring the Olympic spirit into their routines by strengthening sport’s role in education and daily life.
Paris 2024 made physical activity a key priority in its legacy plans — for instance, by adding 30-minute activity sessions to the school day and offering free swimming lessons to over 36,000 children across France.
The Paris 2024 Olympics have fostered a powerful legacy for communities, helping to make sport a greater part of everyday routines and inspire future generations through shared values of friendship, respect, and excellence.
Quote by Marie Sallois, IOC Director for Sustainability:
“This Olympic Week shows how the Paris 2024 Games continue to make a profound and positive impact across France.”
David Lappartient, President of the CNOSF and IOC Member in France, added:
“With more than 700,000 participants, Olympic and Paralympic Week 2025 confirms the ongoing legacy of Paris 2024. This collective momentum helps instil in young people the values of sport — friendship, respect, and excellence — while inspiring future generations. Our thanks go to all those — from educators to coaches and athletes — who made it a success.”
Together, this strong mobilisation will enable us to keep the spirit alive all the way to the French Alps 2030 Olympics — and well beyond.
The “joy of sport” starts in Nice
The opening ceremony was hosted in Nice — a key French Alps 2030 venue — where over 600 students from nearby schools came together alongside a dozen Olympic and Paralympic athletes to celebrate sport.
The event was attended by Marie Barsacq, Minister of Sports, Youth and Community Life and former Paris 2024 Impact and Legacy Director; Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region; Marie-Amélie Le Fur, President of the CPSF and French National Sports Agency; Astrid Guyart, Secretary General of the CNOSF; and Edgar Grospiron, President of the French Alps 2030 Organising Committee.
In just five years, the French Alps 2030 Olympics will bring the world together in celebration of sport — a moment that is much closer than it may seem. French athletes are already preparing to make their mark. “To do that, you need to believe — in yourself, in your ability, and in the possibility of creating the conditions for future success. I wish for all students to carry forward this enthusiasm for sport, which forms the basis for everything in life.” — Edgar Grospiron.
Athletes and Young People at the Heart of Olympic Week
During the SOP, 120 athletes — including 2025 ambassadors Manon Apithy-Brunet (fencing) and Arnaud Assoumani (Para athletics, long jump) — visited schools or connected remotely with children across France.
French Alps 2030 Continuing the Legacy
Looking toward the French Alps 2030 Olympics, Marie Barsacq visited La Plagne’s iconic bobsleigh track — originally constructed for the 1992 Albertville Olympics — which will be used once again in 2030. During the visit, she explained that the Generation 2024 label is evolving into Generation 2030, extending its reach to more schools, educational institutions, and training programs.
“The Olympic Week provided an opportunity to pass on the values of sport and the Olympics to more than 700,000 children. Our aim following Paris 2024 is to further boost sports participation among the younger generation. We must enable children to be physically active from an early age — that's the objective of the 30-minute daily activity sessions — and we will continue to aid educators and collaborate with our national team to make this happen.”
Additional initiatives presented during SOP include physical aptitude tests for sixth-grade students, enhanced training for educators, and pilot programs to improve access to sports facilities in several French regions.
Olympic Legacy
The Olympics leave a powerful, long-lasting legacy for their host cities, their people, and the Olympic Movement — extending well after the closing ceremony. The French approach focuses on creating a sustainable framework for future generations, instilling values and healthy habits through sport.