Beyond the Excitement: Reflecting on the True Legacy of the Games in Paris
On Sunday night we said goodbye to the Games. For the city of Paris, it was two weeks full of excitement. The city looked great; an incredible energy flowed through the various sites that hosted the events.
But in the other parts of the city all was quiet. I attend a church that meets in the 15th arrondissement and live in the same street. Before the games we wondered how they would impact our neighorhood. Would we see more people in the street? Would they be looking for a place to sit or get a drink?
As the games progressed it became clear that the expectations of more people in our neighborhood would not be met. This had an impact not only on our plans but also for the businesses and restaurants that had hoped for a boost from the Games. This underscores a fundamental truth of the games, they great for some but many others not so much. The Olympic committee has their objectives and these “can be a direct contrast to the needs and wants of the citizens of the city and country that hosts them.” (Barry Svrluga, The Washington Post)
Within the Ensemble 2024 community, we are very aware of these realities of the ephemeral nature of the games, and this is why we’ve always talked spoken about our legacy.
As Marty Woods says, “It’s not what we’ve achieved but what we’ve set in motion”. Our legacy is a growing capacity to serve together and to pray together. Also, we’ve deepened our relationships so that future collaborations will be more fruitful. These are the things that remain.
Written by Mathew Glock