Olympism and peace education: a historical analysis

Abstract

In this paper I shall attempt to investigate the historical links between Olympism and the pursuit of peace, both successful and not, and the manners in which Olympic education, as an integral part of Olympism, incorporated peace education.
A strong pacifist movement appeared at the end of the 19th century with the founding of national pacifist societies in Western and central Europe and the convening of annual conferences by national peace councils. The organization of the first International Peace Congress in Paris and the establishment of the International Peace Bureau in 1889 were a turning point in the peace movement. The main principles of Olympism and the organizational structure of the Modern Olympic Games can be understood through the comparison with contemporary internationalist endeavours, mainly “idealistic internationalism”. The organizational structure of the Olympic Movement was based on the model of other internationalist programmes. The Olympic Movement has incorporated these values as regards the role that education must play through sports and attaches importance to the educational function of sports. Olympic values evolved in the 20th century, so as to correspond to the model of a citizen of a modern democracy, laying the foundations of Olympic education. In a globalized society, where competition for distinction at any cost is becoming stronger, education – not solely Olympic education – must develop a spirit of collaboration and team spirit in children from a young age. Educators can be those that are chiefly called upon to act as “ambassadors of peace”, as they undertake to prepare the next generations to live in harmony, planning a future where peace is more likely than war, rather than a Utopian society.