Muhammad Ali graces the Olympics stage once again

Muhammad Ali graced the Olympics stage once again in the company of handful of dignitaries and special guests who escorted the Olympic flag in the east London stadium. Attired in a white suit and tie, Ali looked frail who has long been suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Also this time at the Olympics, The Muhammad Ali Center and Alltech have launched a program called Generation Ali which has been designed to “inspire a new generation of leaders to achieve greatness on local, national and global levels.”

The program which is essentially a social media campaign uses social media mediums such as Facebook and Twitter and aims to gather young leaders from around the world to “collaborate and encourage one another to transform the world in positive and compassionate ways,” said a press release in lieu of the initiative.

Mohammad Ali has been associated with the Olympic Games for more than five decades. Ali won a gold medal in boxing in 1960 in Rome and lit the Olympic Cauldron in Atlanta in the 1996 games.

The Generation Ali initiative has its roots in six ground values that have shaped Ali on a personal and professional level - confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality.

A Facebook page has been developed by the program sponsors where people can post their comments about Ali, the program or the principles underlying the initiative.

“To follow the global conversations about greatness and be part of a powerful force of like-minded leaders wanting to work for world peace, civil rights, cross-cultural understanding, interfaith relations, humanitarianism, hunger relief, or the commonality of basic human values,” visitwww.generationali.org, the news release said.

Jeanie Kahnke, spokeswoman for the Ali Center said that Facebook page and Twitter site will remain open for public after the London Olympics end.

Donald Lassere, Ali Center’s President said, “Muhammad Ali has proven that one person can be a spark that lights the flame of inspiration and changes the world. Generation Ali will take up the torch and continue Muhammad’s legacy by inspiring a new generation of leaders to create better lives, better nations, and a better world.”

Muhammad Ali arrived in London on Tuesday accompanied with his wife, Lonnie, in part to raise funds for the Muhammad Ali Center and promote Generation Ali. On Wednesday, Ali was also honored at the Sports for Peace Gala and later me with U.S. Olympic athletes.