UL Solutions’ Post

🌟 The Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony was an incredible spectacle, with stunning performances by Aya Nakamura and Celine Dion, a breathtaking appearances by Guillaume Diop, the first Black principal Dancer at the Opera de Paris, and the queens of Drag Race France - including Piche, a Rroma, Algerian and French Drag performer. Yet, behind this display of unity and grandeur, a strong contrast lies not-so-hidden. 🌟 As an Algerian-French person, I watched with mixed emotions. The grandiose ceremony felt like a beautiful façade masking deeper societal issues. 🏠 Just before the games, France engaged in "social cleansing", "relocating" homeless people to ensure they wouldn't be seen by tourists and the international gaze. This heartbreaking reality clashes with the spirit of inclusivity that the Olympics aspired to represent this year. 🚫 Muslim women athletes were banned from wearing hijabs, a decision that contradicts international law and marginalizes these incredible sportswomen and their freedom of religion or belief which is guaranteed by article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 🏢 Students were temporarily evicted from their dorms to make room for Olympic staff, disrupting their lives and education. 💰 €1.4 billion of public funds were used to clean the Seine, a project juxtaposed against recent policies to raise the retirement age due to a "lack of public money". 🌍 The environmental impact of the Olympics is another concern. Despite efforts to present the games as eco-friendly, the massive carbon footprint and resource consumption tell a very different story. These actions paint a troubling picture of a country struggling to align its public image with its internal policies. 💔 How can we celebrate diversity and unity on the world stage while neglecting the very principles that uphold them at home? We need to hold ourselves accountable and demand better. The true measure of our society isn't just in what we display externally but in how we treat our most vulnerable citizens. ✨ 💬 What are your thoughts on this? How can we bridge the gap between our ideals and our actions? #Paris2024 #Olympics If you like my work, follow more on https://lnkd.in/dwzdGjPV 😊

🌟 The Paris 2024 Olympics: A Win for Sports and Our Wallets! 🌟 Today, July 26th, marks the start of something special – the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics! It’s not just a showcase of top athletes but also a big economic boost for the region. 💰 Get ready for a major uplift in the local economy with an estimated EUR 8.9 billion in net economic benefits. Plus, with between 2.3 and 3.1 million visitors expected, we’re looking at a tourism revenue of about EUR 2.6 billion. 🏘️ They’re also building 2,800 new homes and two schools, creating a lasting legacy for over 6,000 residents. 🌱 And they’re making these Games greener by slashing carbon emissions by 50% compared to previous Olympics – that’s a win for our planet! Paris 2024 shines as a beacon of economic opportunity and community development. Let’s root for the athletes and the positive changes they’re inspiring! What are you most excited about for #Paris2024? Share your thoughts! #OlympicEconomics #FinancialGoals #EconomicImpact #EconomicWin #SustainableGames

The Urgent Need for Inclusion in the Olympics: A Call for Unity The Olympic Games have long stood as a symbol of global unity, bringing together nations in a celebration of athletic prowess and cultural exchange. However, the exclusion of certain nations from participating poses a significant threat to the very essence of this global event and, by extension, to humanity itself. Inclusion in the Olympics is more than just a matter of fair play; it is a testament to our collective commitment to peace, mutual respect, and understanding. When nations are excluded, we miss the opportunity to bridge cultural divides, promote global solidarity, and foster a sense of belonging among all peoples. This exclusion can breed resentment and deepen geopolitical tensions, countering the Olympic spirit of harmony and cooperation. Moreover, the absence of any nation from the Games undermines the Olympic ideal of universality. Every country, regardless of its political or economic status, should have the opportunity to showcase its athletes and share its unique culture with the world. The Olympics are a platform for marginalized voices to be heard and for lesser-known nations to shine on a global stage. To safeguard the future of the Olympics and to strengthen our shared humanity, it is imperative that we strive for complete inclusion. By embracing every nation, we not only uphold the Olympic values but also take a vital step towards a more inclusive, peaceful, and united world. Let's ensure that the Olympic flame burns brightly for all, illuminating the path to global unity and understanding.

Wow what an Olympics, were you inspired too? There are countless reasons to have loved these Olympics, beyond the incredible sports performances. 🌟 It's easy to get caught up in the medal charts and judge who or which country is the ‘best’. However, surely the greatest power of the Olympics, especially this year, is its ability to bring our divided world closer, even if just for a moment. 💫 Equally invaluable is its capacity to influence and inspire us, especially the next generation. Encouraging us all to believe in ourselves, move a bit more, take care of our incredible body and mind, and dare to dream. 💃 Women Making History: For the first time, there was parity in the number of female athletes competing. As inspiring is the rise in women winning medals post-motherhood. Out of the 9 British athletes who were also mothers, 6 won medals! Kudos to sports research, health professionals and coaches guiding these champions. These athletes all pave the way for women to believe that there is a way to combine their sports and family aspirations. In my family, it's a running joke that I enjoy the interviews more than the actual performances! So, having listened closely to the journeys behind so many incredible accomplishments, I pulled out 5 takeaways that we can all apply to our personal quests to feel our best. 📚 Find the 5 Key Lessons for Health and Success from Paris Olympians blog and access a free visualisation tool I use with clients to program your mindset for health and success below 🎧 https://lnkd.in/d_H9AZmS Stay inspired ✨ #olympiclearnings #thepowerofsport #healthandperformance #keepthemomentum #daretodream #mindbodymastery #burnoutprevention #healthfirst #mentalhealthmatters #sustainablesuccess #parisolympics2024 Photo credit: Jamie Squire / Getty

We need your opinion or real world experience on "Return on Investment" from hosting sports events. Every day we experience the perception of a disconnect between International Sports Federations with their list of "asks" plus Rights Fees, and Cities who feel these requirements do not give them the returns they need. Is #ROI even the right term to evaluate the benefits from hosting? Some say it is #Legacy not ROI that matters but what does this mean? So, what "value" should be applied to the wider benefits of sports participation, inclusion, growth of grass-roots youth sport involvement, the chance to reassess sustainability best practice, changes to transportation and........................ you will have your own list but the money aspects would appear to be an enduring theme to address also. In Lausanne at our annual June Hosts and Federations Summit in the Olympic Museum you will hear the views of International Federations and Cities and you can contribute to the debate. The Summit seeks to conclude with a better mutual understanding with expert companies also challenging routine event delivery being unnecessarily costly and missing benefits from early engagement. If you have a view, come and join us during the week of 17 June and be seen and heard! https://lnkd.in/gCBzWqg8 #HFS2024 #FHS2024 #sportbusiness #majorevents #Lausanne2024

Our nation’s bounce out of a successful Olympics campaign is going to be fascinating to inhale & take in. As things stand Paris 2024 will be our most successful Games based on gold medal haulage (18 currently) although total medals 🥇🏅🥉- existing 41 (18 G / 12 S / 11 B) remains behind Sydney 2000 58; Athens 2004 - 50 and Tokyo 2020 (held in 21!) with 46 overall dais spots. And some more to come! There has been some real timeless moments - these recent 3 captured below not deflecting from our outstanding performance of course in the pool & across other sports from canoe slalom 🛶 to cycling 🚴♀️ , BMX and to sailing ⛵️& tennis 🎾 Because it will unquestionably provide oxygen into Federal and Qld politics & the overall ‘mood of the meeting’ of many of our 27 million fellow Australians when normal viewing returns inc. Federal Parliament next week! Brisbane’s 2032 Games commitment you sense must take on greater analysis of what that both State (and the nation) will want to achieve (and its cost) when the world future focusses in. Further to this sport funding from elite to community programs so we presumedly do a Sydney 2000 performance. This against a backdrop of a heavily contested October Qld state election. This week’s cost of living neutral outcome (no RBA change to official interest rates) has put paid to any MSM paper talk of a late 2024 Fed. Election (you’d think)! But the everyday issues don’t remain far from memory or the discourse. Still - we’re collectively doing it for Australia - with early morning alarms in many cases! #aussieaussieaussie #paris2024 #olympics #qldpol #auspol #costofliving #sportbusiness #brisbane2032 #ausbiz #rba #gina #sportfunding #msm #tvrights #afl #nrl #publicmood #elections2024 #elections2025 #australianeconomy #trump #harris #biden

Countries around the world are anticipating the start of the #Paris2024 #Olympics, a celebration of the unifying power of sports. For many, an introduction to sports begins at a young age, but, children today are dropping out of sports at alarming rates. We invited Kevin Martinez, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship at ESPN, to highlight programs that use the power of sport to inspire social change. Learn more about the community and business value of investing in sports and key insights for all corporate citizenship professionals.

It's an exciting week for those of us working around events with #Paris2024 set to kick off this Friday, the announcement that #Birmingham will host the Invictus Games in 2027 and 10 years today since the opening ceremony of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. At Spirit of 2012 we are always trying to get under the skin of how events leave a long term legacy in a place, and explore with partners from across sport, arts and culture and communities, how this impact could be maximized. 10 years on from the spectacular opening of the Glasgow 2014 Games we with our partners CCSE UWS, undertook some polling across Scotland to ask about the impact, the results are in - https://lnkd.in/evWJc_Zr We were delighted that the impact is still being felt now by people in Glasgow and across Scotland. At a glance the polling told us that the Games : Increased civic (71%) and national pride (75%). Improved Scotland’s international reputation (75%). Enhanced access to sporting facilities and activities (69%) Increased emphasis on public health and physical activity (76%) Strong support (73%) that the Games enabled Glasgow to host other major sporting events. Generated a lasting impact for the host city (69%) This broadly mirrors polling we undertook 10 years on from #London2012. It shows the power not just of the physical and economic legacy, but the magic and memory, the way events make people feel and connect to their place. It shows that in hosting major sporting events it's not just the sport that's important but the cultural and volunteering elements are critical in delivering that long term legacy.

There is a very tight connection between these Summer Olympic Games in Métropole du Grand Paris and the project Re-Gen. The Municipality of Verona lead partner of the project Re-Gen co-financed by URBACT together with other 8 cities from 7 different EU countries will trasform urban abandoned public spaces into street sport hubs through the engagement of youth coming from disadvantaged neighbourhoods and diverse stakeholders. These hubs instil a sense of collective responsibility and communal ownership in younger generations leading to a collective responsabiity in managing public spaces as common goods belonging to the urban communities https://lnkd.in/d_B-bM94

## Whistler’s Homeless Crisis: The 2010 Winter Olympics Cleanup! 🏂🚧 Yo, listen up! The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver weren’t just about epic snowboarding and figure skating—they had a seriously shady side. Here’s the lowdown on how Whistler’s homeless got the boot to make way for the games. ### 🏠 The Dirty Secret So, Whistler was gearing up for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the town was all about the glitz and glam. But behind the scenes, a dirty little secret was unfolding. The local government decided to clear out the homeless population to make Whistler look squeaky clean for the international crowd. That’s right—people living in shelters and on the streets were pushed out to put on a perfect show. ### 💥 The Fallout The official story? They claimed it was about beautifying the area and improving infrastructure. But in reality, it was a harsh case of "out of sight, out of mind." People were displaced and left scrambling for somewhere to go, while the town spruced itself up for the cameras. The Olympic dream had a dark side, and it wasn’t pretty. ### 🛠️ The Impact Whistler’s homeless were forced to relocate, often ending up in even worse situations. While the games were a hit for tourists and athletes, the local community faced a major crisis. It was a classic case of the Olympics boosting the city's image at the expense of its most vulnerable residents. ### 🎯 The Takeaway This scandal shows how big events can sometimes sweep serious issues under the rug. The 2010 Winter Olympics might’ve dazzled the world, but it came with a hefty price tag for those who got left behind. That’s the scoop on Whistler’s Olympic scandal—a perfect example of how the quest for a flawless image can seriously hurt the people who live there. #Whistler2010 #OlympicCleanup #HomelessDisplacement #VancouverOlympics #HiddenCost #OlympicDrama #OutOfSightOutOfMind #CityCleanup #WinterGames #OlympicScandal #SocialImpact