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A vital point to remember is that the use of the mass media is essential to the
success of any program like this.
Some also thought that all the NOCs could help ATHOC educate the general
Public of Olympism by choosing the right "ambassadors" within in their
own countries taking into consideration the motivation and competence of the
athletes and by using a concrete plan, message and a systematic approach. Due
to different cultures the way to tackle this problem could vary. The costs of this
project should be covered either by the IOC or by ATHOC.
Question 15: What suggestions do you have for Athens 2004 on the use
of the overseas volunteers?
Reasons for using overseas volunteers:
• There is a lack of a volunteer culture in Greece.
• Foreign volunteers will learn more about the host country's culture,
language, history and traditions and when they will return home they
can act as ambassadors for Greece.
• Inclusion of overseas volunteers will result in a more global celebration
of the Games, thus serving as an opportunity to follow the directive of the
International Olympic Committee "Bring the world to Athens".
• The diversity of volunteers also helps to broaden the base of expertise
from which to draw upon as different perspectives are immersed together
in planning and implementation of different activities, which provides for
a unique experience for the participants of the Games.
• Overseas volunteers could be a valuable resource for the organisers of Athens
2004 because they could help athletes from their own country by meeting
them at the airport, helping with translation and understanding cultural issues.
Reasons for not using overseas volunteers:
• It is difficult to train people who live far away.
• There will be a lack of understanding of the philosophy of the Games
and a lack of integration with the local culture.
• Demand and costs of accommodation for these individuals.
Methods by which overseas volunteers could be used:
• By cooperating with organisations that already have the network and
financial support for international educational programs.
• By using a small core of volunteers from Sydney and previous Olympic
Games with practical experience to help in special areas.
• By establishing an accommodation bureau to assist them in finding
reasonably priced accommodation. School buildings, military facilities,
large cruise ships or a temporary village could be used to alleviate the cost
for the volunteers.
• By planning the volunteer program now and determining how to train
them prior to the Games taking into account the logistics and consider
the use of the Internet for this.
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