IOC President Jacques Rogge gave this year’s annual de Coubertin lecture in London in front of an assembled audience of leading figures from the worlds of sport, arts and culture. Presented by London 2012 in conjunction with the Royal Society of Arts and the British Olympic Foundation, the de Coubertin lecture is a landmark opportunity to promote the role of Olympism in society.
Entitled “Advancing the Games: the IOC, London 2012 and the future of de Coubertin’s Olympic Movement”, Rogge’s presentation spoke of, among other topics, the role of the Olympic Movement in getting young people to lead physically active, healthy lifestyles, and the impact of the global credit crunch on the Olympic Games. He also discussed the UK’s proud Olympic history with the opportunity the 2012 Games provide to address inequalities in society.