Agree or disagree : the Olympics Contribute to World Peace.
At the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics , I saw Japanese athletes sailed down the Seine with athletes from Kenya, Jordan, and Kazakhstan on a boat, all smiling and enjoying the moment together. These scenes, where athletes from all over the world interact and bond, create a sense of warmth and unity. However, I believe the overall contribution of the Olympic Games to world peace is minimal. In fact, there are several significant disadvantages to the Olympics that may even weaken global harmony.
First of all, the fact that wars are still happening around the world makes it hard to believe that the Olympics help bring peace. For example, how can the Olympics be meaningful to people in Ukraine and Gaza, whose lives are in danger at this very moment? While the Olympics are celebrated as a peaceful competition free from violence, it seems wrong to celebrate these events without addressing the real conflicts that are still happening in the world. Instead of spending enormous amounts of money to launch fireworks, shouldn’t we focus our resources on stopping the launch of missiles in war-torn regions? Simply imagining peace, as the song “Imagine” suggests, is not enough.
Moreover, the environmental impact of the Olympics cannot be ignored. Despite claims by the Paris Olympics that they made the best use of existing facilities and minimized new construction, the event still resulted in a significant carbon footprint. Thousands of athletes, their families, and tourists gathered in the city, contributing to increased CO2 emissions. Past Olympics, such as the Tokyo Games, saw the construction of massive stadiums and other facilities that were probably not needed. These actions conflict with the growing global emphasis on environmental sustainability. The environmental damage caused by the Olympics contradicts the message of unity and peace.
Last but not least, the very nature of competition in sports raises questions about the true value of the Olympics. Moving our bodies and having fun is what sports is all about. However, the intense pressure to win has led to serious mental health issues among athletes. Furthermore, the evolving landscape of sports, particularly with the growing acceptance of LGBTQ rights, has made it increasingly difficult to establish fair competition rules, such as who can participate in which gender race. Similar concerns arise in the Paralympics, where athletes with different disabilities compete against each other under rules that may not always ensure fairness. Is it fair for a swimmer with no arms to compete with a swimmer who has 10 cm arms? While the Paralympics do raise awareness of disability, the focus on winning often contradicts the spirit of inclusion and equality.
The President of the International Olympic Committee has often spoken about the “magic" of the Olympic Games. However, this so-called magic does little to foster true peace in the world. Instead, the Olympics can distract us from facing the real wars, damage the environment, and perpetuate a competitive mindset that contradicts the value of unity and cooperation. We must conclude that their overall impact on world peace is limited. To truly contribute to world peace, we need to look beyond the spectacle of the Olympics and focus on addressing these deeper global challenges.
みなさま、こんにちは。
（いつもの日本語挨拶文を文頭にしようか迷いました）
子供たちと日本と世界について英語と日本語両方で表現できるように真のバイリンガルを目指して勉強会を主催してますKayです。
2022年秋に中三の息子とドイツから帰国しました。
今日は先日、表題のテーマでコラムを踏まえてオリンピックに関するエッセイを書いてもらった時、生徒さんの参考のために紹介した私のエッセイを掲載させていただきます。
私自身はオリンピックはどちらかと言えば平和に貢献すると思っていますが、生徒さんは賛成の意見が多いと思い、このエッセイでは反対の立場を強く書いてみました。
英検1級エッセイにしては500wordsと長すぎますが
色々と考えが溢れかえってます
ご意見、コメント大歓迎です！
生徒さんへ出した課題は私ももちろん毎回取り組んでいますので、今後またこのような形でご紹介したり、生徒さんの良いエッセイで生徒さんの了承を得られた場合、ご紹介させていただきたいと思います。
これは中2の時の息子の結果
一次は本当にギリギリ合格
ーーーーーーー
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