So, the Paris 2024 Olympics happened, and honestly, everyone is still arguing about it. People keep talking about the "Tree of Life" at the Olympics, but there’s a massive amount of confusion about what actually went down on the Seine. Some folks are mixing up the various set pieces from the opening ceremony with the literal Arbre de Vie concepts that have popped up in other Games. It’s a mess. If you’re looking for a simple, single wooden tree with a gold medal hanging off it, you’re looking for the wrong thing.
The Tree of Life Olympic connection is actually way deeper than just one prop. It’s about how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and host cities try to symbolize growth, peace, and—more recently—environmental survival. In Paris, we didn't get a traditional "tree" in the middle of a stadium because, well, the whole city was the stadium. Instead, we got a mechanical horse galloping on water and a cauldron that wasn't even a cauldron, but a giant balloon. But the symbolism? That was everywhere.
Why the Tree of Life Olympic theme keeps coming back
Why do we care? Because the Olympics are obsessed with legacy. They have to be. Otherwise, it’s just a very expensive two-week party that leaves a city broke. The Tree of Life is the perfect metaphor for what the Games want to be: something that has deep roots in the past but keeps sprouting new leaves.
Think back to Tokyo 2020 (which actually happened in 2021). They used timber from all over Japan to build the venues. They called it the "Operation BATON" project. The idea was to create a "Tree of Life" effect where the wood would eventually be returned to the communities to be reused. It’s a cycle. In Paris, the "tree" was more about the "Garden of Tuileries" and the concept of urban rewilding. It’s less about a physical plant and more about an ideology.
The "Tree of Life" isn't a new brand. It’s an ancient symbol that spans from Norse mythology (Yggdrasil) to the Bible. When an Olympic designer uses it, they are trying to tap into something universal. They want you to feel that the Games aren't just for sports fans, but for humanity. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it feels like corporate greenwashing.
The Paris 2024 "Tree" that wasn't a tree
During the Opening Ceremony in Paris, Thomas Jolly, the artistic director, focused on "Solidarity." While there wasn't a giant Sequoia in the middle of the river, the "Tree of Life" concept lived in the Flora segment.
Wait. Let’s be real for a second.
✨ Don't miss: Am I Gay Buzzfeed Quizzes and the Quest for Identity Online
The most famous "Tree of Life" in recent Olympic history actually traces back to the 2016 Rio Games. Remember the opening? They had this incredible moment where every athlete planted a seed. Those seeds were meant to grow into the "Athletes' Forest" in Radical Park in Deodoro. That was a literal Tree of Life project. Fast forward a few years, and the reports were... not great. Many of those trees didn't get the care they needed. It's a reminder that Olympic symbolism is easy, but Olympic legacy is hard.
The symbolism of the rings vs. the roots
You've got the five rings. We all know them. But the "Tree of Life Olympic" spirit is supposed to be the "roots" of those rings. In 2024, the focus shifted toward "Olympic Agenda 2020+5." This is the IOC’s fancy way of saying they need to stop wasting money.
The tree metaphor works here because the IOC is trying to "prune" the excess. They used 95% existing or temporary venues in Paris. That’s a massive shift. Usually, a host city builds a "White Elephant"—a giant stadium that sits empty and rots after the closing ceremony. By using the city itself, Paris tried to show that the "Tree" of the Olympics can grow within an existing forest rather than clearing a new one.
It’s kinda brilliant if you think about it. Instead of a fake tree on a stage, you have the actual trees of the Tuileries Garden framing the Olympic Cauldron.
What actually happened in the "Tree of Life" segment?
People often search for "Tree of Life Olympic" because they remember a specific visual. If you’re thinking of the 1992 Barcelona Games, you might be remembering the Mediterranean themes. If you’re thinking of London 2012, you’re definitely thinking of the "Green and Pleasant Land" set that literally featured a grassy hill and a large oak tree.
Danny Boyle’s tree in 2012 was a masterpiece. It represented the shift from agrarian society to the Industrial Revolution. It was a "Tree of Life" that got uprooted by smokestacks. It was jarring, emotional, and very British.
🔗 Read more: Easy recipes dinner for two: Why you are probably overcomplicating date night
In contrast, the 2024 Paris vibe was about "Enchantment." The "Tree" was the Eiffel Tower itself during the light show—radiating lines of light that looked like branches reaching across the sky. It wasn't organic; it was electric.
The controversy you probably didn't hear about
Every Olympic symbol has a critic. The Tree of Life is no different. Critics often argue that using nature as a backdrop for a massive, carbon-heavy event is hypocritical. For the "Tree of Life Olympic" concept to actually mean something, the sustainability stats have to back it up.
Paris claimed to be the "Greenest Games ever." They cut the carbon footprint in half compared to London and Rio. They used 100% renewable energy during the event. They even served plant-based food to the spectators (which, let's be honest, didn't please everyone looking for a traditional Parisian ham baguette).
Is it perfect? No. You can’t fly 15,000 athletes across the globe and call it "neutral." But the Tree of Life isn't about perfection; it's about the attempt to grow in the right direction.
Does the Tree of Life appear in the medals?
Actually, no. But the 2024 medals had something arguably cooler. Every medal contained a piece of original iron from the Eiffel Tower. So, if the Eiffel Tower is the "Tree" of Paris, then every athlete took a "leaf" home with them. That’s a much more tangible connection than a symbolic drawing on a poster.
If you look at the back of the medals, you see Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, but you also see the Acropolis and the Eiffel Tower. It’s the "roots" of the ancient games meeting the "branches" of the modern ones.
💡 You might also like: How is gum made? The sticky truth about what you are actually chewing
How the "Tree" symbol changed the Olympic mascot
Even the mascots have started to look more "organic." Well, sort of. The Phryges from Paris were based on hats, but the meaning behind them was about the "roots" of French liberty.
In previous years, we’ve had mascots like Vinicius from Rio, who was a mix of all Brazilian animals and plants. He was basically a walking Tree of Life. The shift from "abstract alien" mascots (like London’s Wenlock) to "cultural/natural" mascots shows that the IOC is leaning harder into the Tree of Life Olympic aesthetic. People want to feel connected to the earth, not a tech company.
Why this matters for the future (LA 2028 and beyond)
As we look toward Los Angeles 2028, the Tree of Life Olympic theme is going to morph again. LA is already talking about "radical reuse." They aren't building a single new permanent venue.
In a city like LA, the "Tree of Life" might look like a palm tree or a sagebrush, but the message will be the same: resilience. How do you keep the Olympic spirit alive in a world that is increasingly skeptical of big institutions? You go back to the roots. You focus on the community.
Common Misconceptions
- "There was a literal Tree of Life stage in Paris." Mostly false. There were segments involving nature and the "Garden of Eden" vibes in certain artistic performances, but no single "Tree of Life" prop dominated the ceremony.
- "The Tree of Life is an official Olympic logo." No. It’s a recurring motif, not a trademarked logo like the rings.
- "It’s only about the environment." Wrong. It’s also about genealogy—the idea that every modern Olympian is a "descendant" of the original Greek athletes.
Actionable Insights for Olympic Fans
If you’re obsessed with the symbolism of the Games, don’t just look at the big flashy shows. Look at the "Legacy Reports" that the IOC publishes.
- Check the "After-Life" of venues: If you want to see if the Tree of Life concept is real, look at what happened to the Paris venues in 2025. The Aquatics Centre was built specifically for the community in Saint-Denis, a disadvantaged area. That’s a "root" taking hold.
- Follow the "Olympic Forest" Project: The IOC is literally planting trees across Africa and other regions to offset their footprint. You can track these maps online to see the actual "Tree of Life" growing.
- Look for the "hidden" symbolism: Next time you watch a ceremony, ignore the singers for a second. Look at the floor projections. In Paris, the floor of the bridges often featured "growing" patterns that mimicked root systems.
- Support local "Trees": The best way to honor the Olympic spirit isn't by buying a plastic souvenir. It's by supporting the grassroots (literally) sports programs in your own town. That’s where the next "branch" of the Olympic tree comes from.
The Tree of Life Olympic narrative isn't just a script for a TV show. It’s a messy, complicated, sometimes failing, but always trying attempt to make human achievement feel like it belongs to nature. Whether it's through the timber of Tokyo or the gardens of Paris, the tree keeps growing. It’s just up to us to make sure we don’t forget to water it.
To truly understand the impact of these symbols, you should look into the "Olympic Forest" initiative. It’s the most concrete version of this metaphor. Instead of just talking about trees, the IOC is currently funding the planting of hundreds of thousands of trees in Mali and Senegal. This isn't just for show; it's part of the Great Green Wall project. This is where the "Tree of Life" moves from a stage in Paris to a real forest in Africa, proving that the Games can actually plant something that lasts longer than a gold medal's fame.