Olympic Day Marked at Meir Medical Center With Young Athletes and Children

International Olympic Day was celebrated on Thursday at Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, with the Israel Olympic Committee holding its annual event there to highlight sport’s role in building a better society and promoting Olympic values. This is the third consecutive year the committee has dedicated the day to the children of Meir’s Center for Sport and Health for Children and Youth, where Olympic athletes have volunteered regularly in recent years.

About 130 children were exposed to Olympic and Paralympic sports including fencing, judo, taekwondo, archery, lacrosse, climbing, gymnastics and wheelchair basketball. The activities were led by the athletes themselves. The ceremony opened with committee CEO Adi Bichman and Meir Medical Center director Prof. Yaakov Chen, and included a torch relay and the Olympic flag carried by children alongside the athletes.

Meir Medical Center has served as the official medical partner of Israel’s Olympic team for 30 years. The event brought together Olympic and Paralympic athletes from several disciplines, including Yuval Freilich, Ofir Shaham, Shahar Tzubari, Shira Rishony, Itai Shani, Roy Dror, Michala Moshe, Shamai Yarmom, Alex Khazanov, Alon Dor-On, Assaf Yasur and Moran Samuel.

Bichman said Olympic Day is “an opportunity” to remind people that sport is about more than medals, and said the committee seeks to pass on “excellence, friendship and respect” while giving children “an empowering, encouraging and inspiring experience.” Chen said Meir’s long partnership with the Olympic movement goes beyond medicine and has created “an inspiring volunteer initiative” at the children’s sports center. Yarden Har Lav said Meir has been part of the Olympic family, with athletes visiting monthly for four years to train with children and youth. Prof. Dani Nemet said the day reflects values that help children and youth grow through sport, health, perseverance, determination and handling success and failure.