Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital hosted today the annual Olympic day celebration dedicated to this year’s 120th anniversary of the International Olympic Committee. The organizers declared the 2014 Olympic day as an aspiration for peace and unity of Ukraine.
National Olympic Committee was in charge of organizing the event in close cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Kyiv municipal government under the support of McDonalds.
Unlike previous years, 2014 celebration was brought to a new location remote from the central streets. Obolon quay an the Dnieper river bank allowed the guests of the Olympic Day to experience new water sports in addition to the traditional running activities.
A crowd of several hundred sport lovers attended the celebration participating in the various activities along with two dozens of the star athletes, mostly Olympic, world and European medalists. The latter enjoyed participation in numerous workshops, fun competitions and informal socializing with fans. The celebration was also attended by underprivileged kids from Ukraine's Eastern regions under the initiative of the NOC. The kids have got their first ever chance to visit the country's capital and take part in an Olympic celebration.
The water-based sports have become the highlights of the programme. Guests of the party enjoyed sports rarely seen in the megapolis. Canoe polo, canoe slalom, sailing regatta, open water swimming, aquathlon, a well as modelship sport and model aircrafting – these activities let to bring Olympic Day celebration through three nature elements, the earth, the water and the air.
Sergey Bubka, who is Ukraine National Olympic Committee President, as well as IOC Executive Board member and IAAF Vice President, conveyed greeting from the IOC President Mr Thomas Bach to the Olympic Day participants in Kyiv. He also said to the young participants and their parents, «The promotion of the Olympic movement and Olympic concept of the active sportive way of life is an absolute priority. Sport is the best way for kids to grow up strong both physically and mentally, healthy and successful. Please follow this idea and make sport activities an integral part of your life».
Andriy Lukyanenko, MacDonald's Chief Commercial Officer in Ukraine, commented, «It's been almost 50 years that MacDonald's Company has been backing up Olympic Movement all over the world, and it has been 11 years already that the Company provides support for the Olympic Day in Ukraine. Year after year, The Olympic Day project is growing in concern and in audience appeal as the celebration of sport, health and active lifestyle. The partnership between MacDonald's and Ukraine National Olympic Committee is a longterm cooperation evoking a great deal of projects promoting a healthy way of life and family recreational activity. We are positive that physical education and active lifestyle are extremely important to all people at any age».
On top of cool vibes and excitment, the participants got souvenirs from the choragus. Being held in the capital first, the Olympic Day jumpstarted the same clebrations elsewhere all over Ukraine from tiny towns to the largest cities raising the people to take part in sport competitions, Olympic activities and creativity contests
