PARIS 2024: THE GAMES OF INCLUSIVITY AND CULTURAL INTEGRATION

Baron Pierre de Coubertin was always clear that the Olympic Games should be open to all nations and peoples worldwide. With an audience exceeding 3 billion viewers worldwide and 28 billion digital video views, it's safe to say that the objective has been more than achieved.

Over 15 million people are expected to visit Paris between July 26 and August 11, and the city has long prepared to receive and manage this influx of people from around the globe.

Organizing the Games entails various challenges, including financial, infrastructure, logistics, coordination, security, social and political factors, and, of course, inclusivity and cultural integration.

Ensuring inclusivity on a massive scale

In terms of inclusivity and cultural integration, the organizing committee faces the need to manage multilingual communication effectively. The aim is to serve and integrate an international audience and ensure respect and acceptance of cultural differences.

The official languages of Paris 2024 are French and English, making management easier by eliminating the need for a third language like Japanese in Tokyo 2020. However, this decision has not been without controversy, as some have protested the equation of English with French in a country that has traditionally fought to preserve its language's purity while promoting its use in other countries.

With 15 million people expected to visit for the Games, accessing basic information in their language can be a challenge.

One of the biggest concerns for the organizing city is ensuring that the 15 million visitors do not get lost in the Paris tunnels. To address this, the city has invested 2 million euros in developing a translation application with artificial intelligence in 16 languages. This app will be used by 6,000 RATP workers, the entity responsible for managing the Paris metro. RATP claims that this app's advantage over generic applications like Google Translate is its ability to understand the complexities of the Parisian metro system, including station names, routes, and ticket types.

The First Open and Equal Games

"Games Wide Open" is the motto of these Games, emphasizing inclusivity and equality for all participants. If the 1900 Paris Games were the first with female participation, the 2024 Games are the first with an equal number of male and female participants.

The organization's commitment to inclusivity has led to innovative solutions to bring the games closer to everyone. For instance, for the first time in history, the opening ceremony will take place outside a stadium. The opening of the Paris 2024 Games will be held on the Seine River, with an estimated 240,000 people able to attend free of charge from its banks.

Another example of inclusivity is the organization of a popular marathon on the same day and route as the Olympic marathon, allowing around 40,000 people to participate.

Various initiatives support the Games' solidarity spirit, such as the "Les Kombattantes" project. This project supports women victims of sexual violence who, through sport, can rebuild their lives and self-esteem, seeing their own bodies as the center of their resilience and a crucial part of their recovery process.

Cultural Adaptation for Minorities

The Olympic Games also present an opportunity to promote the inclusion of minority communities. The Telemundo network aims to provide the most extensive Spanish-speaking coverage for its audience in the United States during these Games. Telemundo will focus on the achievements of Hispanic athletes and their narratives, as well as on sports most relevant to the Latin audience, such as soccer, boxing, and volleyball. Telemundo understands the cultural idiosyncrasies of its audience and aims to achieve a greater impact and connect viewers with the Olympic spirit through this coverage.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games aim to be an unprecedented sporting event committed to inclusivity and cultural integration. By promoting gender equality, holding ceremonies outside stadiums, and encouraging the participation of minority communities, Paris 2024 seeks to leave a lasting legacy of inclusion and respect for diversity. These games promise to be a celebration of humanity and an opportunity for the world to come together in the spirit of sport and friendship.