The Independent
Iconic Olympians Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps honored at gala for their philanthropy contributions
August 4, 2024, 9:45 AM
PARIS -- Sharon Stone leaped with joy at the sight of Carl Lewis and was left speechless when Michael Phelps entered the room.
During the Sports for Peace gala at the Four Seasons George V in Paris many shared Stone's exuberance for the two iconic Olympians. Phelps and Lewis were honored for their outstanding contributions to sport and philanthropy.
Euronews
Paris Olympics: Stars out in force at Sports for Peace gala
August 4, 2024, 9:27 AM
The Sports for Peace event aimed to promote Olympic values as well as fair play and tolerance in the sporting world.
As the Paris Olympics continue, stars hit the red carpet in the French capital to honour Olympic champions Carl Lewis and Michael Phelps for their contributions to sport, along with the IOC Olympic Refugee Team.
ABC News
Olympians Carl Lewis, Michael Phelps honored at gala for philanthropy contributions
August 4, 2024, 10:09 AM
PARIS -- Cyclist Masomah Ali Zada accepted the award on behalf of the IOC Olympic Refugee Team.
When Phelps accepted his award, the record-setting Olympian said his goal is to promote healthy living and equip families with swimming skills.
Stone, an honorary chair with Sports for Peace, said that peace can be achieved through awareness from influential figures like Phelps and Lewis.
Pope Francis Calls for Olympic Truce
“I hope that this event can be a sign of the inclusive world we want to build and that the athletes, with their sporting testimony, may be messengers of peace and valuable models for the young.”
Ahead of the opening ceremony of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris on the 26 July, Pope Francis expressed his hope that the world would respect the historic tradition of global peace during the Games. Referencing the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar and many other regions, the Pope declared: “Let us not forget, war is a defeat.” He emphasized the immense reconciliatory potentials of sport, highlighting it as “a great social power, capable of peacefully uniting people from different cultures.”
UN Secretary-General Guterres Delivers Appeal for Peace & Unity
"Nothing is more contrary to conflict than the Olympic spirit. The Olympic Games are a symbol of universality and diversity, a symbol of cooperation and loyal competition, instead of division and conflict."
At a news conference alongside IOC President Thomas Bach, UN Secretary-General António Guterres discussed the expansive merits of the Olympic Truce and called for unity amidst the ongoing global conflicts, which he proclaimed as the polar opposite to the Olympic spirit. Guterres closed with a strong appeal “for countries to come together with the same spirits as athletes will be coming together during the Olympic Games in Paris.”
Robotic Exoskeleton Harnesses AI to Enable Para-Athlete to Carry the Olympic Torch
For Kevin Piette, an accident that rendered him paraplegic 11 years, is no grounds for him to stop playing tennis. Today, the French star player competes as a para-athlete and has recently carried the Olympic Torch in Ancient Olympia, in Greece. As a pilot for Wandercraft, a company pioneering self-stabilizing walking exoskeletons, Piette demonstrates immense fortitude and paves the way for modern technology to restore the gift of walking to those who were stripped of it. The Olympics name him “the embodiment of sporting commitment, the desire for a more inclusive society and the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation, with infectious energy.”
