_______________________________
Hon. President Thomas Bach
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Maison Olympique – Lausanne, Switzerland
Washington DC, August 21, 2024
Summary: Submits for examination and consideration by the IOC presidency and the members of the executive board a suggestion to include a new concept in the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games: the “athletes of solidarity”, who would be invited according to the list of billionaires published by Forbes magazine. Billionaires from five continents would take part in a donation competition, in line with the philosophical objectives and foundations of this important organization, and guided by the principles explained in this presentation, for consideration and improvement.
Dear Mr. Bach and members of the Executive Council,
History records that the Olympics originated in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BC, as a means to honor Zeus, god of the gods, and Hera, goddess of motherhood. Today, the event challenges the good will, idealism and competence of those who direct the IOC, as the evolutionary dynamics of humanity demand constant improvement.
Back then, the Greeks sought to achieve peace and harmony between the cities that made up their civilization by means of the Olympic Games, and the event aimed to worship the gods of Olympus by valuing physical skills.
Today, according to a study carried out in 26 countries, 61% of the studied population believe in God or in an equivalent superior entity, being aware that the most effective form of worship comes down to the same values and practices adopted by the Greeks, namely the promotion of peace and fraternity.
In the modern era, the Olympics were recreated by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896, focusing on the same values and objectives that inspired the Greeks in ancient times: strengthening social cohesion, cultural ties, unity, and a peaceful sociopolitical coexistence, with the games awakening a sense of cooperation between inhabitants of different regions, cultures, and political and religious currents.
Various types of competitions are held alongside the Olympic games, such as the “Knowledge Olympics”, “Math Olympics”, among others.
Let’s imagine the Olympics expanded to celebrate not only physical but also mental overcoming, with invited athletes representing the richest 10% of the Earth’s population, who control 76% of the world’s wealth, earning the applause and enthusiasm of those living in poverty. Solidarity would be the new sport, with the aim of allocating funds to remedy the different areas of human needs: health, nutrition, infrastructure, education, art and environmental conservation.
The award ceremony could take place at the end of the next games, in Los Angeles, in the richest country on the planet, where physical sports athletes and “solidarity athletes” would celebrate the greatness of the games together, magnifying their importance and their contribution to humanity. The ceremony would bring together the richest and most generous men in the world, as listed in Forbes magazine, who would be guests pre-qualified by their status as billionaires.
These would be the first Olympic Games of the modern era to empower and glorify God in accordance with the philosophical objective of the original Olympics, in a world so lacking in empathy and material means, at a significant moment full of symbolism for the human race.
The closing ceremony of the games could be extended to include the naming of the billionaires present, as well as their contributions, in recognition of personal merit and spiritual greatness.
Among the many advantages I see coming from this proposal are:
1 – The considerable economic and financial strengthening of the IOC;
2 – The exemption from covering accommodation, airfare, logistics and food costs for this new category of participants;
3 – The expansion of the global audience, whose attention would be aroused by who the participants are going to be and what they will be donating;
4 – The convergence with some UN programs, such as the FAO and the WHO, among other institutions to be chosen to receive and employ the donations;
5 – The priceless and gratifying happiness of those who, in the end, would benefit from the funds raised at the event.
Considering that nothing in the universe is static and everything is in permanent transformation, the evolution of societies and nations, facilitated by a privileged world consciousness and by the progress of knowledge and technology, suggests and imposes the responsibility to improve the existing mechanisms for achieving humanity’s permanent philosophical objectives. This achievement will depend on the goodwill of those who are in a position to understand their responsibility and have the courage to promote the necessary advances and adaptations to modern times, when the greatest challenges consist of reducing inequalities, eliminating prejudices and resolving conflicts through dialogue. Reason must prevail over the petty and inhuman interests that drive the powerful and insensitive industries that profit from the wars, pandemics and scourges that mercilessly punish humanity. Mankind’s evolution will always be shaped by our visionary capacity, our will to excel and our desire to find reasonable and feasible forms of progress, seeking collective well-being.
The game model that could be incorporated under a new humanitarian concept would be based on the same principles as the Olympic Games, including the modality of solidarity, in which the stakeholders would participate at the invitation of the organizing committee, with gold, silver and bronze medals being awarded to the first, second and third place finishers, and honorary decorations awarded to all participants for their contribution to the cause of humanity.
The goal would be to bring about projects that benefit vulnerable populations and donations of significant value, which would be managed and distributed according to criteria and priorities established by the organizing committee and multilateral humanitarian agencies. One possible application could be, for example, the construction of industrial plants for processing dehydrated food using the freeze dry process, reducing the unacceptable food waste seen today.
The proposed aid would also reach some NGOs proven to be dedicated to helping thousands of abused, hungry, injured and abandoned animals that roam aimlessly through the streets of the planet under the indifferent gaze of humans.
It is worth noting that the latest report “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World”, prepared by five specialized agencies of the United Nations, pointed out that 2.33 billion people faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2023, and 733 million went hungry in the world.
We see growing inequalities, with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, in a shameful process of multitudinous exclusion.
Billionaires around the world last year enjoyed the biggest increase in their share of wealth since the World Inequality Lab began keeping records, in 1995, according to a recently released analysis.
The implementation of the project herein suggested would earn the sympathy and admiration of the majority of the population, made up of the most vulnerable. The evolution of human consciousness would then reinvigorate dignity on earth, so diminished by the lack of empathy, compassion and solidarity. We are all one people, deserving of a life of justice, peace, harmony, dignity and satisfaction — which are the pillars of existential meaning and an indissoluble part of our essence.
The Olympic spirit transcends physical limits and challenges us to develop an altruistic and inclusive vision of the mental and spiritual planes.
I am moved by the conviction that the world average population is in a position to understand the advantages of spreading and fostering unity among the peoples of the earth, through the exercise of fraternity. People in the world could embrace each other every four years at an event of this importance and magnitude, rediscovering the most beautiful face of humanity and inspiring a culture of peace.
Reality demands agility in adapting, improving and expanding the Olympic Games. We must not settle for mere continuity, failing to improve and expand what has been working so far. The desired achievement depends only on people’s will and there will certainly be plenty of support. We have to choose and decide how to fulfil humanity’s legitimate desires and objectives.
If the ancient Greeks, despite the few resources in their underprivileged reality, had the worldview and the admirable audacity to create the Olympics, they would surely have understood and supported this proposal.
Cordially,
Samuel Sales Saraiva
Contact: guapore63@hotmail.com – WhatsApp: +1 202 999 9078
Who is Samuel Saraiva