Olympic Values Education Programme launched across India, inaugural project in Odisha
The Olympic Values Education Programme is a first of its kind, being integrated into Indian schools that will focus on Olympic learning. Odisha has become the first state to do so.
FollowIn India’s historic moment, the highly-talked Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) was integrated into the school curriculum on Tuesday. Odisha became the first Indian state to incorporate the same into its school education system. It is one of the significant Olympic projects to be implemented in India. At the same time, the Government of Odisha’s Department of School and Mass Education and the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust (ABFT) collaborated for the same. The OVEP has been designed by the International Olympic Council (IOC) with practical resources, which have been introduced to the young batch to understand the values of the Olympics, i.e. excellence, respect and friendship. In contrast, it would help children become active, healthy and responsible citizens.
The programme was officially launched today by the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik; IOC Education Commission Chair Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski; IOC Member Nita Ambani; Olympian and member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission Abhinav Bindra; and President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Narinder Batra. In its first year, the programme aims to impact 32,000 children enrolled in 90 schools in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, and once in full swing, it will reach around 7 million children. The state of Odisha intends to take OVEP to all its schools and higher education institutions in a phased manner, thereby enabling its young population to take on board the Olympic values truly.
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“Education is an integral part of the Olympic Movement’s continuous contribution to society. The Olympic Values Education Programme has been developed and implemented worldwide since 2006. Today, we are pleased to take the first steps to disseminate this Olympic values-based education to children and young people in India. Olympic education and Olympic culture can be a powerful tool to bring about positive change,” said IOC Education Commission Chair Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski.
“Sport is an important part of our education and personality development vision in Odisha. We have always strived to achieve excellence in the education sector and sports. For the first time in India, I am happy that the Olympic Values Education Programme is being launched in 90 schools in Odisha. It will be the beginning of a new Olympic movement in the country. We thank the IOC for partnering with us in this endeavour to excel in
sports,” said Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha.
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The programme also aims to leverage the rich cultural and art history of Odisha in tailoring the OVEP curriculum to the school children of the state. Teachers will be trained and empowered to deliver the programme in their unique ways to suit the individual needs of their prefectures and local environments.
“India is a land of great opportunities and infinite possibilities. We have over 250 million children in our schools, brimming with talent and potential. They are the champions of tomorrow, the future of our nation. Only a small number of children in the world will become Olympians, but the ideals of Olympism can touch every child! That is the mission of OVEP, and that is what makes it a huge opportunity for India. As we prepare to host the IOC Session 2023 in Mumbai, I look forward to further strengthening the Olympic Movement in our country,” said IOC member Nita Ambani.
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OVEP-based projects and activities help address the global challenges of sedentary lifestyles, lack of concentration, and adolescents dropping out of school. The resources and toolkits are designed to make it possible for young people of any skill level to enjoy and learn from physical activity and gain lifelong social, cognitive and physical skills. To help adapt the programme’s content to Odisha’s needs, the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust will partner with the IOC in implementation, training, delivery, monitoring and evaluation.
“My vision is to deliver the values of Olympism to all school children in India and promote the Olympic Movement in our country. It is crucial to equip our school children with the right skills to cultivate a strong sense of morality, respect, equality and inclusion. As we all know, Sport has a unique potential to spur social change and increase community engagement and can be used as an educational tool. It is our primary focus area at the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust to ensure that children are equipped with better tools than we had to build more meaningful, peaceful and inclusive lives for themselves and, by extension, everyone around them,” said Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, and founder of the ABFT.
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The Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage (OFCH), which leads OVEP for the IOC, will conduct training sessions for “master trainers” nominated by the state of Odisha, along with trainers from the ABFT, who will in turn kick-start the programme with focus groups of eight to ten schools in the state. Orientation sessions will be held for school principals, education and sports officials, and other core group members involved in the project.
“OVEP is designed to benefit young people from all walks of life, various cultures and all levels of athletic ability. We are delighted that the programme will be integrated into the state syllabus in Odisha. This marks an important first step in bringing the Olympic values to all young people in India,” said Angelita Teo, Director of the OFCH.
