Olympic Values to Drive Undergraduates' Quality of Life
Updated Date: 30th July, 2023
Aiming towards “Enrichment of Undergraduates’ Quality of Life,” National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) conducted an Olympic Values Education Program (OVEP) for Instructors in Physical Education for the first time in the Sri Lanka University Sector. It was held in the Belihuloya premises of the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka from 21 st -24 th July 2023 as a residential program.
The NOCSL Education Committee chaired by Mr. Maxwell de Silva and Co-Chaired by Mr. B.L.H. Perera recognized the successful concept orientated by the present Vice Chancellor of the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka Senior Professor R.M.U.S.K. Rathnayake, who benchmarked the core concept of the National Olympic Academy program witnessing as the keynote speaker in its 18 th proceedings in Bandarawela in December 2022, in order to support undergraduates with a set of values that will guide their mission of life in collective manner.
Abide by this aim a group of 22 Instructors in Physical Education (IPEs) were joined to this ‘Train the Trainers’ OVEP, as they can be closely engaged with diverse set of components of physical literacy development in the Universities where “Olympic Educational Themes” be the new add on to their practices within the university context. With this bridging, university sector will eventually embrace the Olympism, the philosophy of life which uses sports for the service of humanity. It can be expressed through actions that link sport to culture and education where sport can be an excellent tool for positive outcomes such as peace, holistic education and social development. Recognising the unique potential of sport as an educational and communication tool, the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) is a practical set of resources designed to inspire and allow its participants to imbibe the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship.
The four days long program ensured PEIs’ constructively learning Olympic Educational Themes of Joy of Effort; Fair Play; Practicing Respect; Pursuit of Excellence; and Balance Between Body, Will, and Mind to give back to their university community by inculcating learning the same. Sticking to those expectations the contents of the program delivered in three main segments: 1) Sessions to knowing Olympism, Olympic Heritage and Olympic Educational Themes; 2) Workshops preparing to deliver those themes; and 3) Nature trail to testing the immediate outcomes of the values inculcated. The knowledge and experience shared during the program is expected to transfer through its main participants, the Instructors in Physical Education to their university settings.
The participants represented Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, University of Peradeniya, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Uva Wellassa University, University of Kelaniya, University of Ruhuna, South Eastern University, University of Moratuwa, University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, Institute of Technology-University of Moratuwa, and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University.
This program became a reality with the organisation endeavours of the Sabaragamuwa University working group and their dexterous coordination with the NOCSL group of facilitators who dedicated their extraordinary efforts to achieve this pioneering program in the Sri Lanka University history. As the participants transfer these values to their community it will contribute towards ‘good citizenship’ and, as Coubertin (the father of modern Olympics) envisioned more than 100 years ago, inner development at a time will begin when young people’s ‘moral compasses’ are starting to be set for later life.
