Olympic Laurel for United Nations High Commissioner Filippo Grandi

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, will become the third recipient of the Olympic Laurel. This was announced today by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach during the 142^nd IOC Session in Paris. The award, which was created by the IOC to honour outstanding individuals for their achievements in education, culture, development and peace through sport, will be presented to the High Commissioner during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 this Friday.

“Filippo Grandi has supported in an unprecedented way the crucial role sport can play for inclusion, belonging and physical and mental well-being of refugees,” said IOC President Bach. “Immediately after we announced the creation of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for the Olympic Games Rio 2016 at the UN General Assembly, we reached out to Filippo Grandi, who was the incoming UN High Commissioner for Refugees at the time, and asked for his support. I was so heartened by his enthusiastic response, as he wholeheartedly welcomed the idea and immediately offered his full support without any reservation. Following the creation of the Olympic Refuge Foundation in 2017, Mr Grandi agreed to join the Board as Vice-Chair. His support is most valuable for the Refugee Olympic Team and the Foundation. The Olympic Laurel recognizes his dedication to support refugees recognizing the power of sport,” President Bach explained.

Grandi, who has been engaged in refugee and humanitarian work for more than 30 years, receives the Olympic Laurel for his unwavering belief in the power of sport to improve the lives of the far too many refugees around the world and the IOC’s work in this field.

“I am proud to receive this award on behalf of my colleagues at UNHCR, and for the millions of people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes. The Refugee Olympic Team is a symbol of hope and inspiration for refugees everywhere. These athletes show what can be achieved when their talent is recognized and developed, and when they are given opportunities to train and compete alongside the best,” said Grandi.

“But sport is also vital for millions of other refugees, of all ages and abilities. It brings people together, benefits mental and physical health, gives children positive role models, and teaches valuable life lessons. Our partnership with the IOC is cherished and valuable, and I look forward to seeing it grow,” he added.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi at the Unity Euro Cup in Frankfurt, Germany in June 2023.

© UNHCR/Gordon Welters

The commitment of the IOC and the entire Olympic Movement to support refugees is based on the fundamental belief in the power of sport to make the world a better place. Grandi’s involvement dates back to early 2016, when he was first elected to his current role by the UN General Assembly. He personally supported the successful participation of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Ten months on from the announcement, and thanks to the close and fruitful cooperation with Grandi, 10 refugee athletes were competing alongside their fellow athletes at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, sending a message of hope and inclusion to millions of forcibly displaced people around the world and inspiring the world with the strength of their human spirit. For the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the team had grown to 29 athletes, while for the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, it was recently announced that 37 athletes have been selected to represent the IOC Refugee Olympic Team.

When the IOC took the decision to broaden its support for refugees through sport by founding the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) in 2017, Grandi joined as its Vice-Chair. He continues to provide insights, support and advice.

The ORF is growing fast. Its activities have resulted in almost 400,000 young people being able to access safe sport in 11 countries around the globe. In Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Jordan, Kenya, Rwanda, Türkiye and Uganda, young people affected by displacement are experiencing better mental health, and finding belonging and opportunities through sport. Both the support for refugee athletes and ensuring access to sport for hundreds of thousands in communities are a reflection of the ORF’s successful work – and this in turn is thanks to the invaluable contribution and tireless dedication that Grandi has brought to the fore from the very beginning of this endeavour.

The Olympic Laurel recipient for 2024 was selected by a distinguished judging panel representing all five continents: Mrs Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Chair of the IOC Advisory Committee for Human Rights and Former Executive Director of UN Women (Africa); Mrs Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Nobel Peace Prize 1992 (America); Mrs Rhoda Roberts, Actress, Director and Arts Executive (Oceania); Professor Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize 2006 (Asia); Mr Margaritis Schinas, Vice-President of the European Commission (Europe); and IOC President Thomas Bach, who chaired the jury.

Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, visiting a business run by a refugee returnee in Côte d'Ivoire in 2022.

© UNHCR/Colin Delfosse

The first ever Olympic Laurel was awarded to the two-time Olympic champion from Kenya, IOC Honorary Member and social changemaker Kip Keino, during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Rio 2016. The second recipient was social entrepreneur and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, who received the award during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

Awarded every four years on the occasion of the Olympic Games, the Olympic Laurel reflects the ideals and values of the ancient Olympic Games, with a focus on human development through peace and sport. Symbolizing this connection with the ancient Games, the base of the Olympic Laurel trophy is a replica of a stone from the site of Olympia, Greece, where the ancient Olympic Games took place 2,800 years ago. The creation of the Olympic Laurel was one of the initiatives that emerged from recommendation 26 of Olympic Agenda 2020, the strategic roadmap for the future of the Olympic Movement, to further strengthen the relevance of sport in society.

About the International Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit, civil, non-governmental, international organization made up of volunteers which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 4.2 million goes to help athletes and sports organizations at all levels around the world.

Notes to editors

For more information, please contact the UNHCR and IOC Media Relations Team:

UNHCR

• Ewan Watson, Head of Global Communications Service
  [email protected], +41 79 582 39 26 
• Mel Paramasivan, Communications Officer
  [email protected], +41 79 526 59 48

IOC

[email protected], +41 21 621 6000, or visit the IOC website.

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