Middle ages are gone long time ago. The historans and the philosophers have different opinions about these times. But no matter what these opinions are the fact that those were pretty gloomy times should be admitted. It was the time when people were killing each other for the sake of so-called "sacred faith".

Obviously, the idea of the Olympic games didn't exist bach then. This idea would be condemned devilish.

Eventually Renaissance started. The mankind looked back in history and saw the ancestors - ellins and ancient Rome. People eagerily got interested in their history, art... Sport has become very popular in the XVI-XIXth centuries in many countries. So that's when the idea of the rebirth of the Olympic games appeared. The main supporters of this idea were the Czeck teacher Yan Amos Komeisky and the Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov, The French philosopher Jean-Jacque Russo and the German poet Fridrih Shiller...

Still it was very hard to break century-old traditions. The real interest to the Olympic games appeared when the excavations of Olympia began. The finds were astonishing! By that time (second quarter of the XIXth century) thousands of sport competitions were already held. The first national and international organizations and committees were set up. The Olympic games just had to take place!

But it's really hard: organization first of all. A lot of money is needed as well.

But the most necessary was the person who would agree to put his life to make this happen. This person should be devoted to the idea, educated, full of energy. Luckily, such kind of person lived at that time and his name was...

Pierre d'Cuberten

Pierre d'Cuberten (1863-1937) was one of the most energetic, talented and interesting people of his time. You surely know his name. It's connected with the Olympic games forever. But let's take it pieces.

After graduating from college Pierre successfully entered the Sorbon University in Paris. It's one of the oldest and best universities in Europe. He was a brilliant student. He worked very hard. The most appealing subjects for him were history, politics, philosophy, pedagogics.

At first Pierre was interested in pedagogics but then he switched to history, history of ancient Greece.

We don't know when he found the definition of the uncultured person given by Greeks. "Can't neither read, nor swim!". In college he and his friends came up with a plan to restore ancient Olympia, magnificent majestic. With all its castles, temples and arenas!

The idea seemed unreal. It's impossible to turn back time, but his idea didn't stay just a dream. "To do just like it used to be" was the dream which came true but he sacrificed all his life to make this happen.

At the age of 19 he set up a sport club with his friends. People here play football, fence and row. He realizes at that point that physical cannot go without spiritual growth.

It's hard to imagint that some time ago there was no such thing as sport for children. Pierre d'Cuberten was the one who created the first organizations and world competitions. We should be thankful to him for that. But the main feat was still ahead!

Cuberten thought of the Olympic games as the way to create a world standard of the sport competitions. He died at the age of 73 but he started to move to his goal since he was 23.

His idea didn't capture people's imagination right away. He had a lot of enemies. There were bunch of those who supported him orally but didn't do anything to help him.

Meanwhile� he was traveling around the world to prove his idea, he argues. It must have been superdiligence which makes any sportsman to practice no matter what and as a result to win.

November 25th, 1892 �. Cuberten gave a speech in Sorbona talking about the renaissance of the Olympic games. His speech was so bright and convincing that sport figures decided to call the world athletic congress. The most respected figured were supposed to come up with the rules and principles of the future games. 2,000 people from 10 countries took part in the congress.

Finally, in June 23d, 1894 the World Olympic Committee was set up at that congress. - WOC. It was decided to carry out the first Olympic games in two years. It was a great victory of the man and the world sport.

A 100-years' anniversary of the WOC is a recent event. It's the anniversary of the Olympic movement. United Nations Organization declared the year of 1994 the worldwide year of sport and olympic ideal. The supreme authority restored the ancient tradition and asked all the countries to stop wars and to sign an armistice.

By the way June 23 is celebrated annually throughout the world in many countries. The Olympic Day.

Regarding all the Cuberten's accomplishments his main merit is the other. The Olympic movement turned into a high and systematized structure. He was the key architect of this "building". His thoughts are fundamental for olympism. Here is one of the most important ideas: sport, culture, science, art should be harmonic, one cannot go without the other. That's what makes the essence of the olympic movement.

When sport became a part of the glabal politics, presidents and ministers tried to show to their opponents (referring to the Olympic records) who is better. Still, these games is the brightest event in the world.

Cuberten devoted his life to the specific field of knowledge - sport pedagogics. Its goal is physical and spiritual growth of youth. What is this for? It's for you to become brave, open and honest. He thought that a new subject will help the French youth but it helped all the young people in the world.