Civility Blog

The Olympics that were held in Beijing a few weeks ago caught our imaginations and held our sustained interest as few, if any, international events do.  Was it the thrill of the sports?  Certainly!  The accomplishments of these athletes were nothing short of amazing.  Was it the fascination with China?  This is certainly a country with which we are only beginning to become familiar, so yes, there was a heightened interest for some because of the Olympics’ location this year.  But we believe it was more than that.  We believe many people were drawn to watch and celebrate the Olympics because of the sportsmanship, camaraderie, and civility that is part and parcel of the Olympic spirit.  Take that same sense of deep respect for every endeavor, joy of participation, and effort to achieve excellence – apply it to the governing process – and you have an excellent metaphor for what the Institute for Civility in Government is all about, except we seek to make civility the norm every day, rather than an exception that happens only once every few years.