“The OLYMP'ARTS were created to take up the artistic competition that have been initiated in ancient Greece, in 566 BC.”
The ancient Greeks established the original Olympics in 776 B.C., and in 566 B.C., they reinvented the Art Olympiad. Since then, the Olympic art event became a parallel part of the sports event. Artists from various city-states freely showcased their talents and skills, providing the audiences with opportunities to appreciate art performance and release their emotions.
Over 2,500 years later, one day in 1992, Mr. Marc Verriere came across a book titled “The Eternal Olympics”when he was conducting research at the National library of France.
The book captivated him with its accounts of the importance and allure of the artistic competitions in the ancient Greek Olympic events - “The ancient Olympic Games were established in 776 B.C., while the Art Olympiad was invented by the ancient Greeks in 566 B.C., which is stipulated to be held every four years, in the third year after the sports event.”
At that moment, Mr. Marc Verriere, Founding president of the World Philharmonic Orchestra, a French gentleman who had devoted half of his life to the the arts of music, finally found his lifelong calling - the revival of the Ancient Greek Art Olympiad.
Thus starting in 1992, Mr. Marc Verriere began to advance this historic revival process. Like the father of the modern Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin, Mr. Marc traveled extensively in pursuit of his ideals, encountering numerous obstacles and setbacks. Ultimately, he secured direct and unconditional support from Nelson Paillou, President of the Centenary Congress of the International Olympic Committee - Paris 1994. Following this, he subsequently received letters of support from Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Mr. Henri Lopes, Deputy Director-General for Culture at UNESCO.
On the 101st anniversary of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), from July 10 to 11, 1995, in Paris—a city deeply intertwined with art and the Olympics—68 representatives from 65 countries and regions gathered at the UNESCO headquarters to sign the OLYMP'ARTS Charter. This moment marked the official establishment of the World Olymp'Arts Council (WOAC), with its entry onto the historical stage. Concurrently, the modern revival of the Ancient Greek Art Olympiad began.
In June 2022, the World Olymp'Arts Council held a global press conference at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, announcing the first Modern OLYMP’ARTS event to be held in Athens, Greece, as a tribute to the birthplace of ancient Olympic arts, in the following year.
On October 6, 2023, the first Modern OLYMP'ARTS event was grandly inaugurated at the Zappeion in Athens, Greece.
"The relentless pursuit of beauty and strength is the most profound and precious heritage that ancient Greeks left behind for future generations."
In the eyes of ancient Greeks, music played a crucial role in influencing the performance of athletes. They believed that music could enhance competitors' physical coordination and help them excel in their games. Consequently, musical accompaniment and artistic performances were integral to several disciplines, including the pentathlon and broad jump. While providing inspiration and support to the athletes, these performances also offered the audience a feast of artistic expression.
What is even more remarkable is that the artistic competitions had become an essential parallel to the sport games.
These artistic contests, known as "Musical Contests", were named after the Muses, the goddesses of the arts in Greek mythology. In the Olympic event, competitions featuring trumpeters and heralds became standard events, while the competitions at Delphi were even more diverse. The event encompassed kithara performances (a type of lyre with vertical strings of equal length), as well as the combination of kithara and singing, and performances on the aulos (a wind instrument made from reeds).
The artistic competitions made contributions to the development of sport games, and provided artists with a unique platform to showcase their talents as well. They offered opportunities for ancient Greeks to appreciate art performances and release their emotions. On this stage where art and athletic competition intersected, thousands of audiences were able to share the unparalleled games and performances, experiencing the unique charm of ancient Greek art. This not only formed a part of ancient civilization but also became the first significant event in human history to closely connect art with the public, highlighting the indispensable role of art in social life.
The ancient Greek Olympics were a magnificent cultural and spiritual celebration in history of human civilization, transcending mere athletic competition to become a battleground for the soul and will, as well as a dazzling stage for art and culture. Through the profound integration of art and sport, the ancient Greeks demonstrated their relentless pursuit of beauty and strength, leaving behind a rich and invaluable cultural heritage for future generations.
Founder of the
Modern OLYMP’ARTS
- Marc Verriere
“The universal power of beauty and art can change the world, and foster the creation of a future with ultimate value of harmony.” - Marc Verriere
History, continually progresses in circles, intertwining the random and inevitable. A century after Pierre de Coubertin revitalized the modern Olympic Games, another Frenchman, Marc Verriere, began the mission of reviving the Olympic Arts competitions. Like Coubertin, Marc tirelessly pursued his ideals, facing numerous challenges along the way.
Finally, on July 10-11, 1995, in Paris— a city deeply connected to art and the Olympic spirit—68 representatives from 65 countries and regions gathered at UNESCO headquarters to collectively sign the OLYMP'ARTS Charter. This moment marked the official establishment of the World Olymp'Arts Council (WOAC), with its entry onto the historical stage. Concurrently, the modern revival of the Ancient Greek Art Olympiad began.
However, the story of Marc Verriere, founder of modern Olympic Arts, begins even earlier.
Born in a family steeped in the arts, Marc's mother hailed from the Robaut family in northern France, a lineage that produced many talented painters and musicians. Among them was the renowned landscape painter Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, who spent significant time within this family. This rich artistic heritage perhaps destined Marc Verriere to dedicate his life to the global advancement of art.
Marc Verriere studied at the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM), majoring in law, literature, and music. After obtaining his degree, he initially expanded his career in project management before diving into music production and arts administration. He used to work for Radio France (France Inter, France Musique and France Culture) and organized numerous public and private concerts in the Paris region.
In the 1980s, the vibrant artistic atmosphere of France and Europe was revolutionary, driven by technological advancements that transformed the arts. Therefore, Marc's ambition extended beyond achievements in music alone. In 1985, he collaborated with fellow French musician Françoise Legrand to unite musicians from 85 countries, founding the World Philharmonic Orchestra in Sweden as a tribute to the Nobel Foundation. The orchestra quickly garnered international acclaim, performing actively in countries such as Sweden, Brazil, Japan, France, and Canada. Additionally, it established a fund to provide scholarships for children from various nations, supporting youth music education. Marc Verriere's outstanding contributions to humanitarian efforts earned him the Medal of Recognition from UNICEF in 1985.
A few years later, Marc Verriere had an innovative idea: to develop and create an artistic event that would integrate all forms of art, based on the principles of the World Philharmonic Orchestra. Therefore in 1992, while conducting research at the National Library of France, he came across a book titled “The Eternal Olympics”, which detailed the significance and allure of the artistic competitions held during the ancient Greek period -“The ancient Olympic Games were established in 776 B.C., while the Art Olympiad was invented by the ancient Greeks in 566 B.C., which is stipulated to be held every four years, in the third year after the sports event.”
Marc Verriere began this historic revival process in 1992, securing support from various authoritative figures and organizations which attracted significant attention and resources.
In 2007, Marc Verriere registered the World Olymp'Arts Council as an association in Geneva, Switzerland, in accordance with Article 60 of the Swiss Civil Code.
In 2016, to distinguish it from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), he changed the generic name for the Olympic Arts to "Arts de l'Olympe / Olymp'Arts," registering the trademarks and branding with the French National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI).
At that time, Marc Verriere planned to host the fiist modern OLYMP’ARTS event in Cannes, France, in 2021. This announcement ignited excitement across the country, garnering letters of support from the French President, UNESCO, the Cannes City Government, as well as strong supports from the French Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Ecological Transition, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The WOAC organizing committee established an official website for the event, leading to thousands of submissions from artists across over 170 countries in 18 artistic disciplines.
The global pandemic changed the world in 2020, and delayed the preparations for the first Modern OLYMP’ARTS event.
In June 2022, the World Olymp'Arts Council held a global press conference at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, announcing that the first modern OLYMP’ARTS event would take place in Athens, Greece, the birthplace of ancient Olympic arts, in the following year.
On October 6, 2023, the first modern OLYMP’ARTS event grandly opened at the Zappeion in Athens. During the OLYMP’ARTS Forums, which featured numerous scholars and artists, Marc Verriere spoke about the foundation of OLYMP’ARTS: “The foundation of OLYMP’ARST lies in its universal values shared by people around the world, including universality, beauty, aesthetics, harmony, and non-violence. The final selection of entries will also be determined by anonymous voting from the international public, based on these values.”
“The ideal of the Olympics has traversed the mists of time, returning to us with its delightful light of hope, illuminating us as the 20th century approaches.” - Pierre de Coubertin
As early as 2 million years ago, humans who gradually learned to walk upright began engaging in the earliest form of athletics—running. Around 100,000 years ago, humanity started practicing the earliest javelin sport—hunting—along with wrestling and archery. With the evolution of production tools and the advancement of human society, various more complex and competitive sports slowly emerged.
Approximately 2,700 years ago, the ancient Greeks founded the ancient Olympic Games, where participants from various city-states competed and communicated on the game fields. Finally, on June 23, 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were born, held in Athens, Greece, under the guidance of Pierre de Coubertin, thereby endowing the sport of athletics—a pursuit of all humanity—with the Olympic spirit of “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (Faster, Higher, Stronger) and unity.
On November 25, 1892, Baron Pierre de Coubertin delivered a world-renowned speech at the 5th anniversary of the Union des Sociétés françaises de Sport athlétiques (USFSA) held at the University of the Sorbonne in Paris. He called for people to “persevere in the pursuit of a great and beneficial endeavor based on modern living conditions.” This rich and passionate historical speech became known as the “Revival of the Olympics” address and laid the foundation for the later famous “Olympic Manifesto.”
On June 16, 1894, the first “International Congress on Physical Education” convened at the Sorbonne, where Coubertin drafted the opening remarks, read by his colleague, Count de Gousset. The speech emphasized that “Sport is not a luxury but a necessity; through friendly competition, nations grow closer together—that is the Olympic competition.” On June 23, during the closing ceremony, Coubertin's long-cherished vision was about to be realized. Representatives from 13 countries unanimously passed the resolution to “revive the ancient Olympic Games”, agreeing to hold every four years and electing a 15-member “International Olympic Committee”. In his concluding speech titled “The Ceremony of Youth Around the World”, Coubertin proclaimed, “Let us send forth our athletes of running and fencing; I believe this is the future of free trade in the world. The cause of peace will gain a new and stronger pillar.” Thus, the date of June 23, 1894, was recorded in history as the birthday of the IOC and Olympic revival. In his memories, he wrote: “The ideal of the Olympics has traversed the mists of time, returning to us with its delightful light of hope, illuminating us as the 20th century approaches.”
“Beauty will save the world!”
- Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (1821-1881)
When discussing the motivation behind creating OLYMP'ARTS, Mr. Marc Verriere mentioned, “To bring the world together through universal beauty carried by art.”
The modern Olympic Arts event (THE OLYMP’ARTS) will become the first global art event in human history, attracting artists and audiences from around the world to participate and share. This will not only enhance the artistic experiences and joy of the participants but also promote cultural exchange and integration through the power of art, contributing to the protection and development of global cultural diversity. The ideal of “Arts connect the world” will no longer be a distant dream.
The values and ideals promoted by OLYMP’ARTS - universality, aesthetics, beauty, harmony, and non-violence - transcend any single culture or nation, representing the shared aspirations of all humanity. These values, expressed through the universal language of art, will directly facilitate communication and understanding among different cultures. Art will overcome linguistic and cultural barriers so that people from diverse backgrounds can share and experience universal beauty and harmony. Therefore, OLYMP’ARTS is not merely an art festival, it is also an expression of moral and spiritual values, encouraging artists to explore and convey these ideals in their work.
This initiative presents a unique challenge and opportunity for artists around the world. The OLYMP’ARTS provides a platform for artists to transcend themselves and cultural differences, exploring and expressing the shared beauty and harmony of humanity. This challenge not only tests artistic skills and creativity but also reflects and validates the humanistic beliefs deep within the artists.
Imagine the diverse understandings of beauty from artists of varying cultural backgrounds. In what ways can they find common ground? This will undoubtedly be a unique experience, with the answers to modern OLYMP’ARTS being written by the youth and artists around the world together.