60th International Session for Young Participants

DATES OF THE SESSION

Arrival in Athens: Saturday, 23 May 2020

Opening Ceremony (in Athens): Sunday, 24 May 2020

Departure for Olympia: Monday, 25 May 2020

Works of the Session:Tuesday, 26 May – Tuesday, 2 June 2020

Departure from Olympia: Tuesday, 2 June 2020

Departure from Athens: Wednesday, 3 June 2020

MAIN TOPIC:

“Olympism and Humanism”

SPECIAL TOPIC

“Olympic Games: Human rights, diversity and inclusion in sport”

ENROLLMENT

1. Each National Olympic Committee OR National Olympic Academy may enter the Session with one (1) representative.
2. The maximum number of NOC/NOA delegates for this year will be eighty (80).
3. Priority during enrollment will be strictly observed, subject to the date of submission of the participation form. Furthermore, priority will be given to those NOCs who have already established a National Olympic Academy and whose nominees have already participated in one National Session. Moreover, nominees should have a genuine interest in the educational aspects of the activities organized in the course of the Session and should have shown a special interest in the aims of the IOA, as well as in current issues of Olympism. We would like to remind you that persons who have previously attended an Annual Session for Young Participants of the IOA will not be accepted in this Session again.
4. Participants should be strictly 20 to 35 years old. In case a participant is under or over the age limit, kindly note that the IOA will be forced to cancel his/her participation at any time during the session.

SUBMISSION/DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

The submission of applications will be effected by clicking on the following link:

https://forms.gle/DQzRThNgDfpZnKo97

The final date for enrollment will be Friday, the 28th of February 2020.

We would like to bring to your attention that no application submitted after the expiry date will be considered.

LANGUAGE: All correspondence between the IOA and NOCs or NOAs, must be effected either in French or in English, which, together with Greek, are the official languages of the IOA. Kindly note that no correspondence in any other language will be taken into consideration.

English, French and Greek will be the working languages of the Session. Simultaneous translation in these languages will be provided. The texts of the lectures will be available in French, English and Greek.

Participants must have an excellent knowledge of either English or French, since they are expected to take active part in the working groups which follow the lectures. This is the quintessence of the IOA’s activities, i.e., to get people from all over the world to know and contact each other.

We have repeatedly noticed in the past that quite a few participants cannot understand or speak either English or French and consequently, they are unable to participate fully in the works of the Session. Therefore, all NOCs and NOAs are kindly requested not to send over delegates who do not speak fluently at least one of the above two languages. In the opposite case, please kindly note that the IOA will be forced to cancel their participation at any time during the session.

In order for their participants to be accepted in the Session, NOCs or NOAs must submit the relevant certificate of studies in either English or French.

SHORT PAPERS / PRESENTATIONS: The IOA strongly encourages Olympic medallists and/or athletes who have participated in the Olympic Games to make presentations on topics related to their Olympic experience.

PAPER SUBMISSION: An electronic copy of the paper, in a standard word-processing programme (Word), must be sent to the IOA. Papers must be presented in one of the three official languages of the IOA. Papers should not exceed two (2) pages (8 minutes maximum).

The deadline for sending the final draft of the paper is set for Friday, the 27th of March 2020. The IOA is going to make the final selection of the papers that are going to be presented during the Session.

EXPENSES

A) TRANSPORT: Olympic Solidarity will cover 50% of the cost of the air-ticket for one participant per NOC. The IOA will send the final list of participants to Olympic Solidarity, upon completion of the Session. To benefit from this reimbursement, the NOC must send a financial report using Olympic Solidarity’s online platform, in line with the 2017-2020 financial guidelines. Once completed, the financial report will require validation by the NOC Secretary General/President/or Proxy as well as the Treasurer/Head of Finance before it is submitted to Olympic Solidarity.

The IOA will take care of the participants’ local transport from May 23rd (date set for the arrival of the participants in Athens) to June 3rd (date set for departure). In case of arrivals or departures earlier or later than the dates mentioned above, the IOA will not meet the participants at the airport, nor will we take care of their accommodation, boarding or transportation until the dates set for their accommodation at the hotel. The same applies to later departures.

B) ACCOMMODATION / BOARDING: Accommodation and boarding expenses of the participants, both in Athens (only for the nights of May 23rd, May 24th and June 2nd, 2020) and in Olympia, for the duration of the Session, will be at the charge of the International Olympic Academy. Any additional overnight stay in Athens or in Olympia must be taken in charge by the participants.

C) VISA: Participants who need a VISA to enter Greece should address themselves to the Greek Embassy of their country, where they will submit their application along with an invitation letter from the IOA. Should there be no Greek Embassy in some countries; a VISA from an Embassy of any country member of the European Union could be accepted. May we remind you once again that any cost concerning the issuing of such a VISA should be borne by the participants themselves.

D) PARTICIPATION: Participation fees for one participant per NOC/NOA are covered by Olympic Solidarity.

LIVE TRANSMISSION: Kindly note that, the works of the IOA Sessions are transmitted live on the Internet. This offers to thousands of people the opportunity to follow the Sessions from home and take active part in them, by presenting their questions and remarks. For those interested, the relevant link on the Internet is the following: www.ioa-sessions.org.