Olympic Day Date in the current year: June 23, 2024

In 1890s, French historian and educator Pierre de Coubertin came up with the idea of reviving the Olympic Games at the international level. On June 23, 1894, the first Olympic Congress was held in Paris, France. The Congress resulted in the establishment of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a non-profit non-governmental organization responsible for the organization of the Olympic Games.

The first president of the IOC was Demetrius Vikelas, Greek businessman and writer. After the 1896 Summer Olympics he withdrew from the IOC, and the vacant place of president was occupied by Pierre de Coubertin.

In 1948, the IOC established Olympic Day to commemorate the revival of the Olympic Games. The day is marked with the Olympic Day Run typically held on the weekend closest to June 23. The first Olympic Day Rune was held in 1987 with 45 participating National Olympic Committees. The event focuses on promoting participating in sport by people from all countries regardless of their age, gender, background and athletic ability.