CM Naveen Patnaik Launches Olympic Values Education Program in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday launched Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in 90 schools of Odisha through virtual mode.

The Odisha Government has initiated the Olympic Values Education Programme into the school curriculum of Odisha, in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Abhinav Bindra Foundation Trust.

Initially, it has been started as a pilot project in the schools of Rourkela and Bhubaneswar. It will be expanded in a phased manner to all its schools and higher education institutions in the coming days.

In its first year, the programme aims to impact 32,000 children enrolled in 90 schools in the cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. Once in full swing, it will reach around 7 million children.

These OVEP-based projects and activities are expected to address the global challenges of sedentary lifestyles, lack of concentration, and adolescents dropping out of school.

Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said, this will be the beginning of a new Olympic movement in the country. “Through this program, our children will experience and benefit from the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect,” he said.

Stating that sports is an important part of the vision for the education and personality development of the students in Odisha, he said that we have always strived to achieve excellence in education sector as well as in sports. 

Joining the programme IOC Education Commission Chairperson Mikaela C. Jaworski said that sports is a powerful tool of change which formal education may not necessarily bring about. Olympics movement can contribute significantly to society. This programme will be integrated in school syllabus, she added.

Director of IOC Culture and Heritage Committee Angelita Teo said that Olympics education will enhance the philosophy of life. It will help students to lead a peaceful, better life. Olympism will focus on value based learning, she added.

Olympian Abhnav Bindra said that core values of life are learned outside the classrooms. Olympic movement has the potential for social change.