“The 2024 Paris Games are also an incredible demonstration of the power of our civil society, let’s give it a go”

2024-09-22 05:00:04

Lhe volunteers for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (JOP) have shown, through their smiles, their dedication and their sense of acceptance, how volunteering plays an important role in the most important moments in our history.

What we don’t know is that they don’t just wear the now familiar green aprons and colorful bucket hats. In fact more than 20,000, from small and large groups, wore red first aid vests.

At each event site, during the opening and closing ceremonies, or even in the heart of the air zones, these volunteers provide, day and night, a healthy environment for an event of unprecedented scale. These women and men, who come from all over France and overseas, take care of thousands of businesses, families, and sometimes even athletes.

The study group

Skilled champions, these first responders from certified civil defense organizations have been preparing for months, even years. Their knowledge is the result of hard training and continuous training.

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However, to adapt to the changing security situation, to structural crises or to frequent disasters, we will have to rely more and more on them, their organizations, and the citizens themselves. Not only to provide relief in the event of an emergency, but also to help prepare, protect and recover the population in the face of crises. These new challenges mean an evolution of actions and commitment from the State.

To make the citizen the first player in the relief chain, it will be the first to summarize the training in rescue operations. Note for example that only 40% of French people are employed, while in Germany, this number reaches 80%!

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To enable the organizations, which are aware of the areas and weaknesses, to be true partners of the public authorities in the event of a crisis, they will need to be associated with the regional system and national coordinating bodies.

A valuable and indispensable resource

Finally, if volunteering “costs nothing” to the community, it is a valuable and essential tool for collective life. With thousands of people saved each year, it is worth promoting and facilitating: improvement through the real implementation, for these volunteers, of the existing recognition systems such as civil contract report ; and facilitation through support for their training, their equipment, their equipment, which is regulated by the State and which is the cost for their groups.