We congratulate United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on being awarded the Olympic Laurel at the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024. Mr. Grandi is the third recipient after Muhammad Yunus (Tokyo 2020) and Kipchoge Keino (Rio 2016) to receive this distinction, which recognizes exceptional achievements in education, culture, development and peace through sport.

In a statement, Mr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee and a gold medalist from Montreal 1976, said: “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.” He cited his full support after the creation of the IOC Olympic Refugee Team at Rio 2016, which represents more than 100 million forcibly displaced globally, with 37 athletes competing across 12 sports at Paris 2024.

The China Current, a storytelling video platform under the China-United States Exchange Foundation that explores human stories and global issues, has in the past featured interviews with Mr. Thomas Bach, Mr. Filippo Grandi, and Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee  © IOC/Greg Martin