Under the aegis of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) conducted its first ever national workshop on the IOC’s Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) from 22-26 March 2010 in the capital city of Delhi, the upcoming venue of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The OVEP Programme had been officially launched in India by the IOC President, Dr. Jacques Rogge during the Commonwealth Youth Games held at Pune in October, 2008.
In the course of the 5 day interactive workshop, national delegates from the various Indian states and union territories were introduced to the IOC values-based educational resource, “Teaching Values: an Olympic Education Toolkit” with key focus on how to use the manual effectively in the classroom and taking the programme into the heart of sport .
The workshop Opening Ceremony kicked-off in a spectacular cultural context with the lighting of the candle and traditional dance performed by the primary and senior level-students of the host school, Delhi Public Schools (DPS).
The OVEP toolkit has been developed in order to help educators, coaches and youth group leaders not only to encourage the young generation to practice sport but also to teach them the educational values of the Olympic Movement: joy of effort, fair play, respect for others, pursuit of excellence, and balance between body, will and mind. Opportunities for dialogue, self- reflection, background information and the instructional methods for delivery of the different topical areas to promote these values was the cornerstone of the workshop methodology and pedagogical outcomes.
Inductive and explorative teaching methods were implemented by workshop leader, Dr. Deanna Binder wherein hands-on activities such as planning and performing a mini-Olympic Games, Opening Ceremony with students and participants, story-telling through poster design, and journal writing exercises helped to facilitate the learning process. The last session included presentations by participants of their ideas for implementation of OVEP in their specific communities and environs.
Workshop participants also had the unique occasion to visit the headquarters of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee and some venues where they were welcomed and addressed by the President of the IOA, Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, M.P. and Secretary General, Mr. Randhir Singh. The Secretary General expressed the commitment of the IOA to the IOC’s OVEP programme and emphasized that this programme would be embedded as part of the activities of the Indian National Club Games which will be targeting 800’000 clubs in the country. It is estimated that 20% of the population would be touched and exposed to OVEP during its roll-out.
The OVEP workshop event concluded in a celebratory fashion as delegates received their certificates of participation during the Closing Ceremony officiated by IOC Member and Secretary General, Mr. Randhir Singh and IOC Director, Department of International Cooperation and Development, Mr. T.A. Ganda Sithole.
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