Sochi 2014 Strategic Vision
Strategy
Introduction
In times when the threat of global climate changes becomes increasingly evident, when the mankind is facing consequences of short-sighted treatment of nature and unrestrained consumption of natural resources, everyone is aware of responsibility for their own contribution to interaction with sensitive and frail environment. Climatic changes influence all aspects of social life and affect interests of all residents of the planet. Ideas of the world community regarding necessary long-term environmental protection of our habitat are the cornerstone in sustainable development concept.
In the context of sustainable development concept, particularly regarding environment protection the role and responsibility of sports are highlighted.
Being in focus of social life, sport creates the basis for family recreation, through generations it carries the values of discipline and fostering, fair contest and mutual help, initiative and responsibility, joy and dignity, respect and support.
Sport is a sphere of direct and intense contact between people and environment. Favorable weather conditions, clean air, water, soil and vegetative cover together with contemplation of the nature permeated with harmony enable people to open up their full abilities, to feel joy in making efforts and achieving, to be imbued with the feelings of beauty and perfection.
All kinds of sports, from simple entertainment in the open air to professional athletes’ contests depend directly on the environmental conditions and status. At the same time sports industry is among the factors which significantly influence the environment and pollute it.
It is obvious that people who organize sports events and take part in sports activities are directly responsible for environmental safety. They should personify cautious treatment of nature and use all means to promote environmentally safe solutions and actions to prevent violations of generally recognized right of everyone for favorable environment.
Being a mighty humanistic movement in the world, Olympic movement recognizes an exceptional interrelation between sport and nature, and it identifies for itself three key major dimensions: sport, culture and environment.
The goal of Olympism is to make sports everywhere conducive of harmonious mankind development in order to contribute to creation of peaceful society that will care for retaining human dignity.
Olympic movement constantly involves measures to conver the Games to a true example of sustainable development concept implementation and a powerful tool to spread the knowledge about its prospectively fruitful, beneficial and successful execution.
Agenda XXI (Olympic Movement’s Agenda 21)2, adopted by the Olympic movement in 1999 inspires the Games organizers to put every effort towards a more profound integration of sustainable development and ecological responsibility principles into all aspects of preparations for the Games and during the Games.
Successful experience in implementing environment and sustainability programs within the framework of the Games organization already exists for 15 years since the first «green» Games in Lillehammer in 1994 were held.
This experience has enabled the IOC to provide the Games organizers with necessary methodological tool for planning and action — IOC Guide on sports, environment and sustainable development published in 2006.
Keeping to the Olympic Charter and the IOC guidelines, aspiring to embody the Olympic movement’s motto: «Citius, Altius, Fortiusl», Sochi 2014 organizers are preparing innovative Winter Games embodying sustainable development concept in harmony with the unique nature of Sochi National Park Caucasian Black Sea coastal area and leaving a rich «green» legacy for Russia and its future generations.
It requires Games organizers not only to retain and carefully treat Sochi environment but also to improve its condition in Olympic capital simultaneously with a considerable economic growth of the whole Region, new opportunities for its people with the aim of turning it into a world class alpine climatic resort.
Organizers of the Winter Games of 2014 are using the existing capabilities to prepare for, and carry out innovative Games that will actualize sustainable development concept in harmony with unique natural conditions and leave a rich «green» legacy.
Sochi 2014 Strategic Vision
Basics of the Sochi 2014 Strategy were laid down by the «Gateway to the Future!» concept that has won at the bidding campaign stage and has brought the Games to the city of Sochi. Further development of Sochi 2014 strategic vision has stimulated formation of the «Olympic Diamond» concept offering to perceive 2014 Games as innovative Olympic and Paralympic Games which would express the character of Russia and bring about positive changes inspiring the whole world.
«Olympic diamond» has defined the following nine most important values for the 2014 Olympic project:
This approach has made it possible for organizers of the Games to formulate their essential strategic goals, including, among others, Sochi environment improvement.