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Why did Pierre de Coubertin want to revive the Olympic Games?

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A woman in a white pleated dress lights the Olympic torch from a large flame in a gold cauldron, with a crowd seated in the background at Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. — Olympic Games An actress playing the role of an Athenian high priestess lights the Olympic flame in Athens, October 31, 2017. The torch was later carried to Pyeongchang, South Korea, for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Pierre de Coubertin’s desire to revive the Olympic Games was rooted in his commitment to educational reform and his belief in the character-building properties of school sport.123

Influenced by his study of British public schools and American colleges, Coubertin sought to promote physical education as a means of personal and social development. His vision was further shaped by his meeting with English educator William Penny Brookes, whose own efforts to organize international athletic festivals inspired Coubertin to pursue a global, quadrennial event.123

Beyond education, Coubertin viewed the Games as a powerful tool for internationalism and peace. He famously advocated for the "Free Trade" of athletes—sending oarsmen, runners, and fencers to other lands—as a way to foster intercultural communication and strengthen the cause of peace. Ultimately, he aimed to create a new era in international sport that transcended local or national interests, establishing a movement dedicated to the pursuit of peace and global cooperation.312