The eighth edition of Olympic and Paralympic Week was launched today at an event organised by Paris 2024 in partnership with Danone, the Ille de France Academic Region, the Ile de France Regional Olympic and Sports Committee (CROSIF), the French Paralympic and Sports Committee (CPSF), the City of Paris, the sports movement and school and university sports federations. 

Held at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, the event was attended by more than 4,000 children, who had the opportunity to learn about and try out various physical activities with Typhaine Soldé and Jackson Richardson. 

"'Celebrating the Games and athletes from all over the world' is the motto of this eighth and final edition of Olympic and Paralympic Week ahead of the Paris 2024 Games, which is ringing louder than ever as the countdown to an extraordinary summer approaches its climax," said Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024. 

"Since 2017, Olympic and Paralympic Week has reached awareness among more than five million young people, raising awareness of the benefits of sport and other key issues such as disability and inclusion through sport. This year we have seen even more projects with a Para sport dimension, a total of 6,200," he added. 

"As a Danone athlete, I am very proud to be a patron of this latest Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Week, as I believe it is vital to educate young people about sport and disability. At the launch event, I was able to meet thousands of children and encourage them to take more exercise and enjoy a balanced diet to improve their mental and physical wellbeing. People's attitudes and habits need to change, and we need everyone to do this," stressed Typhaine Soldé, Paralympic athlete. 

Danone, an official partner of Paris 2024, wanted to support this event in order to promote the importance of eating healthier and exercising more from a young age in order to enjoy a lifetime of good health. 

"Danone is delighted and proud to be a partner of Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Week, and to be involved in this fantastic event aimed at thousands of children. It was a great opportunity to raise awareness of the need to eat healthier and exercise more, with the support of Danone athletes," said Simon Van De Steen, Danone's Paris 2024 partnership director. 

"We believe that good health comes from a balanced diet and we remain committed to doing all we can to change the lives of today's young people, who are tomorrow's parents, for the better," he commented. 

This 'Champions' Day' marks the start of a week of events across France to teach children about the many benefits of daily physical activity and to promote the values of Olympism and Paralympism, four months before the start of the Games. 

More than two million children will be reached this year with the participation of 11,500 schools and educational establishments, with a total of 7,000 projects. More than five million children have taken part in Olympic and Paralympic Week, which is now firmly established in the school calendar, since it was first held in 2017. 

The eighth edition of Olympic and Paralympic Week is the last under the Paris 2024 banner. However, this annual event will continue after the Games. Olympic and Paralympic Week and the Generation 2024 platform will be entrusted to the French National Olympic Committee (CNOSF), the CPSF and the Ministries of National Education, Higher Education and Sport. 

Paris 2024's other youth programmes, including '1,2,3 swim!' (20,000 participants in 2023) and Impact 2024 (half of the participants are children), will also continue under the leadership of the National Sports Agency (ANS).