Coubertin Quote for Feb, 15
Internationalism is a trend that grew out of the deep need for peace and fraternity arising from the depths of the human heart.Share
The Olympic Games can clearly be seen as a byproduct of the great wave of internationalism that emerged at the end of the 19th century-as countries sought to reach across their borders and partner with other nations to reduce hostilities and build a better world. In 1894, Baron Pierre de Coubertin put the Olympic Games squarely in the context of this rising phenomenon.
"Internationalism (is) understood, of course, as respect for, not destruction of, native countries. It is a trend that grew out of the deep need for peace and fraternity arising from the depths of the human heart ... That is why every four years the restored Olympic Games must provide a happy and fraternal meeting place for the youth of the world, a place where, gradually, the ignorance of each other in which people live will disappear. This ignorance perpetuates ancient hatreds, increases misunderstandings, and precipitates such barbaric events as fights to the finish."
These passages are excerpted from an article entitled, The Neo-Olympism: Appeal to the People of Athens, which appeared in Le Messager d'Athènes in 1894.