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character of the flame, had built a mechanical train which carried the flame from
the top of Mount Cronion to the camp that had been organized during the Session
of the International Olympic Academy.
Young people from various countries gathered around the sacred flame, moving
closer to one another, singing songs that they all knew, looking for the cultural
elements that united them and feeling that special force of Olympism.
Their cultural differences acted as an incentive to become better acquainted, to
learn of one antother's habits and customs, tradition and culture.
The special theme of this year's 33rd Session, «The different application of
Olympism in the major cultural zones of the planet,» invited participants to consider
the cultural specificities of other peoples and show understanding for existing
differences as a first step towards eradicating prejudice and rejecting discrimination,
the key to peaceful coexistence.
In this way the IOA becomes for the young a place where they can experience,
investigate and study in depth the concept of Olympism, as well as a place of constructive
criticism, exchange of ideas and improvement of their knowledge about
the Olympic Movement.
Fourteen lectures were presented at this Session by outstanding speakers who
introduced young participants to Olympism. The special theme had been devided
into three units :
1. Tradition and the Olympic spirit in antiquity.
2. Olympism and cultural diversity as they were envisaged by the founders of
the Olympic Movement and as they are expressed today in the major cultural
zones of our planet.
3. The intercultural message of the Olympic Games and the evolution of soci
ety through Olympism.
The 33rd Session was attended by a total of 240 people from 85 countries : 175
participants (94 men and 81 women), 20 discussion group coordinators and 7 official
guests, in addition to the members of the Ephoria and IOA staff.
The level of participants was high and the quality of the groups' reports really
excellent. This is mainly due to the existence of 65 National Olympic Academies
and the good preparation of participants on the Session's special theme.
The message that arises from the reports is a need for substantial support to
and promotion of the IOC's work as the supreme authority of the sports and Olympic
Movement.
Moreover, the educational aspects of the Olympic Movement which surround
the celebration of the winter and summer Games should be more strongly highlighted.
The IOA, with the moral and effective support of the IOC, furthers the primary
aims of the international Olympic Movement and the understanding of its fundamental
educational principles. However, the full contribution of the National
Olympic Committees and National Olympic Academies is required for the dissemination
of the principles and values of the Olympic Movement. To that end, the re-
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