Olympic Day Celebrations PLANNED Nationwide

Chicago, Ill. and Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 15, 2009) In conjunction with the international observance of Olympic Day on June 23, Chicago 2016, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the City of Chicago are leading efforts to commemorate Olympic Day with celebrations across the country. Under the leadership of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a resolution this weekend supporting Olympic Day. As a result of this outreach and the efforts of Chicago 2016 and the USOC, nearly 150 cities will host Olympic Day celebrations, including fun runs, lectures and sport competitions and demonstrations many attended by Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Olympic Day celebrates the values and ideals of the Olympic Movement and the impact sport can have on everyone, particularly youth, said Patrick G. Ryan, chairman and CEO of Chicago 2016. Under Mayor Daley's leadership, mayors from across the country are introducing youth to these values and promoting the positive benefits of sport. We believe the lessons learned on Olympic Day will be carried forward by everyone in their daily lives.

On June 23, mayors from across the country will join in proclaiming the day Olympic Day in their communities, and Chicago 2016 and the USOC are encouraging communities to host events that promote physical activity and sport participation, as well as support the Olympic values of fair play, cooperation and respect for others. Activities range from rowing demonstrations in Philadelphia with U.S. Rowing and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, to a fun run in Honolulu with Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors has the ability and reach to promote Olympic Day to youth in cities across our nation, said Mayor Daley. They have also pledged to help to instill the values represented by the Olympic Movement in our nation's young people for generations to come.

Chicago 2016 is organizing youth fun runs for nearly 30,000 kids at more than 200 parks on Olympic Day. Adults are encouraged to take part in a fun run at 6:00 PM that will end at North Avenue Beach where Chicagoans will be participating in a number of Olympic or Paralympic sports, including beach volleyball, table tennis, hand cycling, wheelchair basketball and badminton. There will also be live music and other festive activities at the beach for spectators to enjoy, and Olympic and Paralympic athletes will join in the celebration.

The USOC celebrates Olympic Day annually with events at the U.S. Olympic Training Centers and official training sites, as well as coordinating activities with sport National Governing Bodies and affiliated multi-sport organizations.

The U.S. Olympic Committee's partner organizations and Olympians and Paralympians across the U.S. are actively participating to mark this celebration of the Olympic Movement. One of the greatest treasures we can instill in our youth is a passion for sport and the values sport represents, and Olympic Day offers a tremendous opportunity to connect our athletes to new generations, said Stephanie Streeter, Acting CEO of the USOC. The USOC stands with Chicago to deliver unprecedented participation across the United States to celebrate Olympic Day, reflecting the country's passion to bring the Games to Chicago in 2016.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors represents more than 1,200 mayors from across the United States. As part of the resolution passed this weekend, mayors pledged their support for Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Olympic Day is a worldwide commemoration of Baron Pierre de Coubertin's June 23, 1894, convening of the first International Olympic Committee meeting at the Sorbonne in Paris, and the founding of the Modern Olympic Games. National Olympic Committees throughout the world will participate in the international celebration, with each Olympic Committee sending Olympic Day greetings to participating nations.

About Chicago 2016

Chicago 2016 is a 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to seek the privilege of hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Chicago. The committee's board consists of business, civic, athletic, cultural and academic leaders representing Chicago and the surrounding Midwest region. Patrick Ryan serves as the organization's chairman and CEO.

About the U.S. Olympic Committee

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole entity in the United States whose mission involves training, entering and underwriting the full expenses for the U.S. teams in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. In addition to being the steward of the U.S. Olympic Movement, the USOC is the moving force for support of sports in the United States that are on the program of the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games.

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