Mayor Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass returned to Los Angeles Monday with the official Olympic Flag after she made history by becoming the first Black woman mayor to ever receive the Olympic flag at a closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. During the ceremony, Mayor Bass received the flag as part of the handover ceremony from Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who is the first woman to serve as Mayor of Paris. Team USA Gymnast Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, joined Mayor Bass in receiving the flag during the historic moment. She returned to L.A. alongside LA28 and regional leaders. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Photos and b-roll of the flight arrival available here. Photos and b-roll of the Mayor’s trip to Paris available here.
The Mayor’s top priority for the 2028 Games is to ensure Angelenos benefit from the preparation and hosting of this major event, both now and for decades. She is focused on helping local, small businesses, creating local jobs, and delivering lasting environmental and transportation improvements throughout Los Angeles.
“The Olympic Games have officially come back to Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “We have been working with the urgency that is required to put on an international event, and we are focused on all the ways we can match Paris’ success in Los Angeles. My goals for the Games are big, and I want to ensure Angelenos from all corners of the City have the opportunity to show the world all of our communities, that we will grow small and local businesses, and that we will invest in the transportation improvements necessary to leave a lasting legacy in our city for generations to come. Forty years ago, Mayor Bradley hosted a Games that continue to benefit Los Angeles – I will be sure to do the same. Congratulations to the City of Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Paris 2024 for an outstanding Olympic Games. We look forward to seeing a transformative Paralympic Games in Paris in just a few weeks.”
The Olympic flag – one of the most recognizable symbols of the Olympic Games – was created for the Olympic Jubilee Congress in 1914 in Paris in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Olympic Movement. The interlocking rings were first drawn by Pierre de Coubertin – the founder of the modern Olympic Games – on a letter in July 1913. The Olympic symbol representing the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games has gone on to become one of the most recognized symbols in the world and the symbolic passing of the Olympic flag from one host city to another has become a key tradition at the closing of the Games.
During her trip to Paris for the Closing Ceremony, Mayor Bass visited cities and communities outside of the Paris city center to observe how they are engaging the local community and benefiting from the Games. Additionally, Mayor Bass visited the Paris Media Centre, the Athlete’s Village and sporting event venues to examine effective logistics and communication output in order to recreate effective operations in Los Angeles.
Examining the All of Paris Region Approach to Hosting the Games: