With so much uncertainty abroad and at home — whether it’s the ongoing Ukraine and Gaza conflicts, the European elections or our own heated presidential contest — we are looking forward to a three-week respite from political anxiety: the Paris Summer Olympics.
Seeing the world’s top athletes come together is exciting and hopeful. The opening ceremony on July 26 will bring enough pomp and circumstance to inspire us to keep that red, white and blue out a bit longer in support of Team USA.
In featuring on this month’s cover a Georgetown resident who will compete in Paris — Angolan rower and Georgetown Law grad André Matias — we hope to infuse our neighborhood with the spirit of internationalism, fair play and human achievement that the Olympic Games embody.
If there’s one thing Olympians such as Matias can teach us, it’s to keep that Olympic spirit alive between now and the next iteration of the Summer Games, in 2028 in Los Angeles. Olympic drive, passion and, yes, impartiality is something we can all use when we feel overwhelmed by global and national turmoil.
Whether you’re cheering for locals like Matias or Bethesda-born swimmer Katie Ledecky, or being floored by the performance of a “GOAT” like gymnast Simone Biles, the Olympics are a time to settle in and marvel at humanity at its best (for a change).
And Georgetown, home of a lively French Market every spring and a prized collection of French restaurants year-round (La Bonne Vache, Chez Billy Sud and Brasserie Liberté, to name a few), is the perfect place to celebrate the Games’ host city and country. Will we see you at the next table, discretely checking out an event on your phone?
