Legacy Paris 2024 - 12 Lessons Learned

The 12 lessons learned about Legacy that I am happy to share:?

1.??? ?? Investments and returns: a budget of 4.38 billions euros for the Organizing Committee declared by Paris 2024. A return that will be higher than the investments, considering tangible and intangible legacies.

Organizing a sporting event is an investment not a cost, is a catalyst not a project. But you need to have an adequate level of human capital to perform well: people able to work generating a legacy in every action, thinking about the future. Delivery and Legacy must be balanced and go together to make a real impact. I was able to meet the Paris 2024 Legacy team and appreciate their vision.

2.??? ?? Sport inspiration: Athlete performance to inspire more movement for all. Countries need to organize major sporting events to inspire and drive the sports movement among amateur sports clubs, athletes and families, in the 4-year cycle. Thinking about those that initiated some walking activity thanks to the Games, and youngsters that have the dream to become the future medalists.

3.??? ?? The City as a Stage: you do not – always - need a sport facility to organize an event. From the opening ceremony to the iconic facilities close to the incredible monuments, Paris used his beauties as backdrop of the Games – Tour Eiffel, Place de la Concorde, Le Grand Palais, etc – and to talk about sport in an unconventional way. Thinking about the link between sport and cultural heritage.?

4.??? ?? Olympics for Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: the first Games to achieve full gender parity. Plus other interesting projects: the Pride House; and 70 local authorities certified “Terre de Jeux 2024”, with the assistance of Paris 2024, have committed to renaming their sports facilities with the names of prominent women. Thinking about branding, messages and new paradigm.

5.??? ?? Focus on Human and Social Capital Development (not on Infrastructure): Paris 2024 accelerated or initiated projects that can generate positive legacies in the territory. Paris only built one new arena, at Porte de La Chapelle, as part of a profound urban transformation project. The rest were only existing and temporary facilities. The Paris focus was on human and social capital development through Olympics values: Sport for health, education, environment, inclusion, equality and solidarity.

6.??? ?? More Social Projects Inspired by Sport: Paris 2024 created an endowment Fund as a platform for social innovation through sports to inspire and identify projects with high potential for social innovation, support project leaders, promote and publicize these projects to encourage their replication in the future. Thanks to the Paris 2024 Endowment Fund created in 2019, Paris 2024 and its co-financiers have supported more than 1,100 social projects for a total of €47.8 million for 4.5 million beneficiaries to promote sport among women and people with disabilities, with the aim they can continue after the Games.

7.??? ?? More Social Economy Driven by the Games. The Paris 2024 Organising Committee and the Société de Livraison des Ouvrages Olympiques (SOLIDEO) have joined forces with Les Canaux, Maison des économies Sociales et Solidaires, and the Yunus Centre to develop ESS 2024 and thus contribute to achieving the first sustainable, inclusive and united Olympic and Paralympic Games in history. Thanks to the ESS 2024 program supported by Les Canaux, 6,000 companies in the social, solidarity and circular economy have been supported and more than 500 are participating in the organization of the Paris Games. Thinking about the Games as catalyst for the social economy in the area.

8.??? ??♀? Bringing Everyone Inside the Games. Marathon Pour Tous. For the first time in history, members of the public ran (35,000) the same course of the Olympic marathon on the same day as the Olympians. Thinking about engagement, experience, security and future storytelling.

9.??? ?? The Municipalities leveraged the Games: The Municipalities involved leveraged the power of the Games. Among the many project: “Paris, Fête les Jeux!” in each arrondissement, a place to watch, celebrate, practice sport and being together during the Games, “Le Parc des Jeux” in St Denis, and the 81 playground built by the city. Thinking about community legacy activities and outcomes implemented by Paris 2024, impressive.

10.?? Active Observers: the IOC Observers Program is not just observation but also active learning, networking with future hosting countries and dreamers of the Olympic values. I felt among all the participants the need for more knowledge, comparison, learning moments. Thinking about Executive Master in Business of Events (EMBE) and FIFA Master at SDA Bocconi.

11.?? Question mark: The great doubt remains about the Seine, whether it will ever be swimmable as the French had thought. In any case, they have taken an important step forward thanks to the Games. Thinking about environmental sustainability and courage.

12.?? Conclusion: The world needs the Olympics for the impacts and legacies they generate, beyond the entertainment of every match and medal. Thinking about the hosting territories and the 206 participating countries, plus the Refugee team, that qualified and competed.?

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