Strengthening Worldwide Camaraderie through Sports Celebrations: Olympic and Paralympic Games Edition
The LA84 Foundation, originally established in 1985 as the Amateur Athletic Foundation, is a national leader in elevating the role that sports play in positive youth development. This year, the Foundation is co-presenting a webinar series, "Why Resilience Matters: How Adversity Molds Us," alongside the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles and the Japan America Society of Southern California (JASSC).
One of the upcoming discussions in the series will focus on "The Power of the Games for Communities," offering updates on event planning and excitement leading up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo next summer and Los Angeles in 2028. Renata Simril, President and CEO of the LA84 Foundation, will moderate the dialogue between John Harper, COO of LA28, and Hidemasa Nakamura, Games Delivery Officer and Sports Director of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The conversation about the importance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games for communities, particularly in the context of Tokyo 2020 and Los Angeles 2028, centers on the transformative social, cultural, and infrastructural impacts these events have beyond sports.
For the Paralympic Games, the conversation highlights their role as catalysts for change in host cities. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons has emphasized that the Paralympics drive significant improvements in accessibility, social attitudes, and opportunities for people with disabilities. For example, after the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, China became one of the first countries to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and invested heavily in accessibility upgrades for thousands of facilities. The London 2012 Paralympics led to a notable shift in public perceptions, with one in three UK citizens changing their attitudes towards disability, and a substantial increase in employment among people with disabilities. Rio 2016 prompted the development of world-class Paralympic training centers and enhanced public transport and tourist site accessibility.
Regarding Los Angeles 2028, the focus is on community engagement, fiscal responsibility, and creating exceptional experiences that benefit athletes, residents, and visitors alike. The LA28 organizing committee highlights their commitment to building the Games on partnership, purpose, and ambition, ensuring the events uplift and positively impact the region, especially as communities recover from challenges such as wildfires. There is also a clear intent to deliver the most gender-balanced Paralympic Games to date, with increased athlete quotas and expanded sports programs, indicating a strong emphasis on inclusivity and legacy.
The JASSC, founded in 1909 to build economic, cultural, governmental, and personal relationships between the people of Japan and America, will host the webinar series. The organization is supported by 150 Japanese and American corporate members and over a thousand individual members.
The second webinar, titled "The Power of the Games for Communities," will be held on December 10 at 5 pm (PST) / December 11, 2020 at 10 am (JST). The webinar series can be found on the specified website, along with additional information for "The Power of the Games for Communities."
The LA84 Foundation transforms lives through its investment in youth sport programs, infrastructure, research, and education across eight Counties of Southern California. The Foundation was established as a legacy of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Summer Games, and continues to champion the power of sports to bring about positive change in communities.
[1] https://www.paralympic.org/news/rio-2016-paralympic-games-leave-lasting-legacies-in-brazil [2] https://www.la28.org/news/la28-announces-increased-athlete-quotas-and-expanded-sports-programs-for-the-paralympic-games-los-angeles-2028 [3] https://www.teamusa.org/news/features-2/the-decade-of-sport-an-era-of-opportunity [4] https://www.la28.org/news/la28-and-usopc-announce-partnership-to-advance-sport-and-education-in-los-angeles-and-beyond
- The webinar series, co-presented by the LA84 Foundation, will include a discussion titled "The Power of the Games for Communities," which will examine the role of sports events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games in driving community development and education.
- The LA84 Foundation, known for its investment in youth sports and education, will moderate the "The Power of the Games for Communities" webinar, which will feature discussions on topics such as community engagement, fiscal responsibility, art, and social impact in the context of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo and Los Angeles.
- The upcoming webinar in the series, focusing on "The Power of the Games for Communities," will reveal how sporting events like the Paralympics can lead to significant changes in accessibility, attitudes, education, and infrastructure for individuals with disabilities, as seen in cities like Beijing and London after previous Paralympic Games.
