66th INTERNATIONAL SESSION FOR YOUNG OLYMPIC AMBASSADORS
6 – 18 June 2026
PROGRAMME
Main subject: “Empowering Inclusion, Integrity and Responsibility for Every Athlete”.
Special subject: “Championing Inclusion, Integrity and Responsibility: Building a Safe and Fair Future for Every Athlete”.
June 6 – Saturday
Arrival in Athens and accommodation at the hotels:
- Candia (40, Th. Deligianni street, 10438, Athens, Tel.: +302105246112-7, Email: candia@candia-hotel.gr)
- Novotel (4, Michail Voda street, 104 39, Athens, Tel.: +30210 8200700, Email: H0866@accor.com)
Free day.
June 7 – Sunday
08.00 Guided visit to the Panathenaic Stadium, and the Acropolis museum.
13.00 Departure to the hotels.
14.00 – 15.30 Lunch at the hotels.
17.45 Departure by coaches to the Hill of Pnyx.
19.00 Opening Ceremony of the 66th International Session for Young Olympic Ambassadors.
21.00 Reception at Novotel hotel.
June 8 – Monday
08.00 Departure by coaches to Ancient Olympia.
13.00 Arrival and accommodation at the IOA premises in Ancient Olympia.
14.00 – 15.00 Lunch.
17.00 Welcome by the IOA Dean, Prof. Konstantinos GEORGIADIS at the Main Lecture Hall “D. Vikelas” of the IOA conference center (formal dress code).
Brief introduction and instructions from the Group of Coordinators.
Presentation of the lecturers, working group coordinators and participants.
18.00 Opening Ceremony of the works of the 66th International Session for Young Olympic Ambassadors at the Main Lecture Hall “D. Vikelas”.
Olympic Anthem.
Presentation of the officials and guests.
Address by Prof. Charilaos TSOLAKIS, President of the International Olympic Academy, Member of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Member of the Hellenic Fencing Federation and Professor at the University of Athens.
Address by the Vice - mayor of Ancient Olympia, Mr Antonia CHRYSANTHAKOPOULOS.
Address by the representative of the prefecture of Ilias, Mr Nikolaos KOROVESSIS.
18.30 Lecture by Prof. Sarah TEETZEL (CAN), Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, and Dean of Studies at St John's College, University of Manitoba, with the title: “Beyond Competition: How the Olympic Games Address Global Challenges”.
19.00 Q&A Session.
Laying of wreaths at the stele of Pierre de COUBERTIN, renovator of the Olympic Games, and at the commemorative monument of John KETSEAS and Carl DIEM, pioneers of the establishment of the International Olympic Academy.
Commemorative photograph.
20.00 – 21.00 Dinner.
Free evening.
A΄CYCLE OF SUBJECTS
June 9 – Tuesday
09.00 Lecture by Prof. Heather REID (USA), Professor Emerita, Morningside University, USA Scholar in Residence, Exedra Mediterranean Center, Italy, with the title: "Inspiration for Aspiration: Lessons from Ancient Olympia".
09.30 Q&A Session.
10.00 Lecture by Dr Rafael MENDOZA GONZÁLEZ (MEX), with the title: “Olympism, Quantification, and the Origins of Athlete Burnout”.
10.30 Q&A Session.
11.00 Working Groups A1.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
17.00 Artistic activities.
18.30 Sports activities.
20.00 – 21.00 Dinner.
21.30 Food festival.
June 10 – Wednesday
09.00 Lecture by Dr Cem ABANAZIR (TUR), Senior Lecturer in Law, Manchester Law School, Manchester Metropolitan University, with the title: “Athletes' Integrity. Manipulation and Betting".
09.30 Q&A Session.
10.00 Lecture by Prof. Yannis THEODORAKIS (GRE), Professor of Sport Psychology, University of Thessaly, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, with the title: “Olympic values as a framework for mental health development”.
10.30 Q&A Session.
11.00 Working groups A2.
12.00 Sports activities.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
16.00 Artistic activities.
17.00 Guided visit to the archaeological site and the museum of Ancient Olympia.
20.00 – 21.00 Dinner.
Free evening.
June 11 – Thursday
09.00 Lecture by Prof. Ian BOARDLEY (GBR), Professor of Sport Psychology, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, with the title: “Moral Disengagement: The Hidden Enemy of Safe and Fair Sport”.
09.30 Q&A Session.
10.00 Working groups A3.
11.00 Preparation of the conclusions of the 1st Cycle by the working groups.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
17.00 Artistic activities.
18.30 Sports activities.
20.00 – 21.00 Dinner.
21.30 Social evening (1).
B΄CYCLE OF SUBJECTS
June 12 – Friday
09.00 Presentation of the conclusions of the 1st Cycle by the working groups.
11.00 Lecture by Dr Fang LIANG (CHN), Lecturer, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports (CUPES), with the title: “Educating the Next Generation of Olympians: The Role of the Youth Olympic Games in Promoting Leadership, Integrity, Responsibility and Athlete Well-being”.
11.30 Discussion with the lecturer.
12.00 Working groups B1.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
17.00 Artistic activities.
18.30 Sports activities.
Free evening.
June 13 – Saturday
08.30 Excursion to the beach.
12.30 Departure from the beach to the IOA premises.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
17.00 Artistic activities.
19.00 5th ‘Olympic Day Run’ in Ancient Olympia.
21.00 – 22.00 Dinner.
Free evening.
June 14 – Sunday
09.00 – 11.00 Parallel Workshops on:
• “Olympism and Olympic Education”, with Prof. Konstantinos GEORGIADIS (GRE), IOA Dean, Professor at the University of Peloponnese.
• “Young Olympic Ambassadors on Social Media”, with Prof. Emilio FERNÁNDEZ PEÑA (ESP), Director, Sport Research Institute and
Head, Olympic Studies Centre, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
11.00 Working groups B2.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
16.00 Artistic activities.
17.30 Sports activities.
19.00 Torch Relay.
20.00 – 21.00 Dinner.
21.30 Social evening (2).
June 15 – Monday
09.00 Lecture by Prof. Marion KEIM (RSA), UNESCO Chair: Sport, Development, Peace and Olympic Education, University of the Western Cape, with the title: “Olympic Education, Safeguarding and Dual Career Support - Three Pillars for a Safer and Fairer Athlete-Centric Future”?
10.00 Q&A Session.
10.30 Lecture by Prof. Athanasios (Sakis) PAPPOUS (GRE), Full Professor Department of Life Quality Studies Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Italia, with the title: “The Unifying Power of Sport: A Socio-Psychological Approach to Olympic Education, Diversity and Inclusion”.
11.00 Q&A Session.
12.00 Working groups B3.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
16.00 Artistic activities.
17.00 Preparation of the conclusions of the 2nd Cycle by the working groups.
18.30 Sports activities.
20.00 – 21.00 Dinner.
Free evening.
June 16 – Tuesday
09.00 Short presentations by Olympians and Paralympians.
11.00 Swimming gala.
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch.
18.30 Track and Field gala.
20.00 – 21.00 Dinner.
21.30 Arts happening: Jointly organized by the dance, music and literature - poetry workshops.
Free evening.
June 17 – Wednesday
09.00 Presentation of the conclusions of the 2nd Cycle by the working groups.
11.00 Closing Ceremony of the works of the 66th International Session for Young Olympic Ambassadors.
Awarding of the prizes of the ISOH 2025 Youth Olympic Movement Competition.
Presentation of the participation diplomas.
Address on behalf of the participants.
Address on behalf of the working group coordinators.
Address on behalf of the lecturers.
Address and closing of the works of the Session by the President of the International Olympic Academy, Prof. Charilaos TSOLAKIS.
Olympic Anthem.
20.00 – 21.00 Dinner.
21.30 Farewell party.
June 18 – Thursday
08.00 Departure from Olympia and drop off at the Athens International Airport at approximately 13.00 hrs.
