Zenji Nio

Zenji Nio is a self help expert, motivational speaker and philanthropist ^[1][2][3][4] who has also served as the official chaplain for the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympic Games as well as the 2015 Toronto Pan-American Games and Parapan American Games. He is an expert in meditation techniques of the Japanese Samurai and serves as a motivational and meditation coach to 50 medalists from all backgrounds including Buddhist, Christian, Jewish and secular.^[5][6]

In 2016, Nio conducted the first marriage ceremony in an Olympic Village between Argentina's Yael Castiglione and Brazil's Marcus Eloe as per Samurai Buddhist tradition and had a meeting with Cardinal Dom Orani Tempesta^[7][8][9]

In 2015 during the Toronto Pan Am Games, Nio sailed with windsurfer Demita Vega who ended up winning the silver medal.^[10][11] Nio also built a Museum that was described as the "biggest attraction" in the Panam Athlete's Village by the Canadian media including the National Post which described Nio as "the most sought-after Chaplain by athletes" for coaching several athletes and Para-athletes as well as entire teams to win medals.^[12][13] Many medalists said they would not have won if it were not for Nio's guidance.^[14][15] Nio teaches Japanese Samurai meditation techniques that have been compared to practices used by Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant.^[16][17]

Nio uniquely combines Western motivational speaking with Eastern philosophy and has given speeches alongside major leaders including Jason Kenney, Canada's Minister of Defense, Chris Alexander, Canada's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Joe Oliver, Canada's Minister of Finance.^[18] Nio has also given speeches at high profile events in the US and Canada including the World Parliament of Religions and NAIN Conference and has lectured alongside Civil Rights leader Gerald Durley, protege of Martin Luther King Jr. and Cardinal Collins.^[19]

Zenji Nio has worked closely with Saint Teresa during his early childhood and has launched the Compassion Initiative which conducts social service campaigns worldwide for the most vulnerable and marginalized members of society. To mark the Opening of the Paralympic Games, Nio visited Saint Teresa's orphanage in Kolkata and donated his Rio Uniform to the orphans with disabilities. This is because Nio wanted the children to believe that they too could one day get to the Paralympics. Nio has also been called a "reformer" by Rev. Johnson of Yale University.^[20]

Zenji Nio received wide media coverage when he also called for the Paralympics to be broadcast in India stating that he was personally offended when people with disabilities were discriminated against. Nio also said that the Paralympics could help promote visibility and appreciation for people with disabilities and that our culture should focus more on heroes than just celebrities. Nio however pointed out that he was not intending to castigate anyone but hoping there would be a course correction before Tokyo 2020.^{[21][22][23][24][25]}

Within 24 hours of Nio's lending his support to the cause of Indian para-athletes, SONY ESPN announced it would indeed provide coverage of the Paralympics in India as requested by Nio.^[26][27][28]

During the Rio Olympics, Nio also conducted the second marriage ceremony between Delphin Llagas Jr. and Ann Sophie Nio who obtained assistance from the Philippine Government to conduct their marriage on site at the Olympic Village. Nio has said that his role in this world is to help people and spread the love and that the legacy of the Rio Games would be that love can overcome all differences.^[29]

References