Olimpiadi tra guerra e pace

Federico Buffa explores the deep, complex connection between Olympic sports and universal topics, such as war and peace. By recounting the history of the Olympic Games, created to promote world peace, Buffa highlights how, over the years, they have been inevitably influenced by political scenarios, tensions, and international conflicts. The story unfolds from the Olympic Games’ first edition in Paris to the most recent ones, passing through two world wars, showing how they have been often trapped in the conflicts of the time, despite symbolising unity and hope. Buffa explains war’s influence on sport, the sacredness of Olympic competition, the athletes’ role as ambassadors of peace, the emblematic figures of Pierre de Coubertin, Abebe Bikila, and the dramatic events of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He also explores the contrast between the Olympic ideal of solidarity and the harsh reality of war, as well as the role of sports as a form of reconciliation. In a global context increasingly marked by conflicts, “Olimpiadi tra guerra e pace” invites the audience to reflect on the profound meaning of sports as a source of hope and change, while being aware of its limitations in changing reality.