The Arc de Triomphe lights up for the Grande Cause Nationale 2024 on the evening of January 1

While thousands of people flocked to celebrate the transition to 2024 on the evening of December 31, theArc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysées is getting ready to light up again the very next day. In fact, on the evening of Monday, January 1, Paris will be alive with new energy.

From 8pm to midnight, the emblematic monument will be draped in the colors of the Grande Cause Nationale 2024(GCN2024). The Arc de Triomphe will be illuminated by the signature animated GCN2024 logo, projected onto the monument. This initiative, orchestrated by Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, in agreement with the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, highlights France's commitment to physical activity and sport.

The President's decision to dedicate the GCN2024 to sport serves a dual purpose:

• Promoting the benefits of sport for personal development, self-confidence and social cohesion,
• And to combat the health challenges posed by sedentary lifestyles, screen addiction and lack of physical activity.

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This major cause hasthree main objectives: to encourage the French to engage in regular physical activity, to mobilize all those involved in sport to promote its benefits, and to integrate sport into the heart of public policy. One of the major thrusts is the recommendation of 30 minutes of daily physical activity, in line with WHO guidelines, to maintain good health and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Tonight's event is the starting point for a series of national initiatives. Throughout the year, various awareness campaigns and almost 1,000 sporting events will be organized, including inclusive tournaments, the "Grande Dictée du sport", and sports equipment collections. On January 3, the first GCN2024-labeled event will take place , an inclusive tournament organized on the occasion of the Professional Football League's Champions Trophy, in partnership with the Association Play International, the Licra and the Foundation for Inclusive Sport.

A support group made up of personalities from the world of sport, elected representatives, institutions and influencers is committed to promoting these 30 minutes of daily physical activity as a key objective for 2024.

Tonight'sillumination of the Arc de Triomphe is therefore much more than just an aesthetic celebration. It's a symbol of France's commitment to a future where sport and health are at the heart of society. With the Paris 2024 Games approaching, this initiative aspires to inspire and mobilize the French around sport for all. It is an illustration of the republican will to make sport a vector of unity and health, today and for generations to come.