State House, Freetown, Wednesday 24 July 2024 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has departed Sierra Leone to attend the International Summit on Sport for Sustainable Development, scheduled for Thursday 25 July 2024 in Paris, France.
The invitation to this prestigious event was extended by French President Emmanuel Macron and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, who are co-organising the Summit.
The gathering will launch a global “sport and sustainable development” initiative across five key areas: education and employment, health and nutrition, equality and inclusion, sustainability and legacy, and financing and impact measurement, aimed at leveraging the power of sport to drive positive change and sustainable development worldwide.
Approximately 500 participants, including heads of state and government, leaders of international organisations, athletes, representatives of the sports movement, and development financiers, will work together to explore and promote the role of sport in advancing sustainable development goals.
During his stay in Paris, President Bio will also attend the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, set for Friday 26 July 2024. This event marks the beginning of one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events, bringing together athletes from around the globe in a display of excellence, unity, and sportsmanship.