A look back that serves as an outlook: In November 2024, representatives from 17 European countries gathered in Birštonas, Lithuania, for an intensive seven-day training seminar. Entitled “Training of Trainers – Working with the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP)”, it was a unique opportunity that allowed participants to delve into the role of sport and Olympic values in education. The Lithuanian National Olympic Committee (LTOK) organised the seminar with support from Erasmus+ and Olympic Solidarity. Henning Kunkel, representing both the European Olympic Academies (EOA) and the German Olympic Academy (DOA), participated in the event to gain valuable insights for the planned implementation of OVEP in Germany in 2025.
The OVEP initiative, spearheaded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), aims to promote the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect through sports-related educational programs. Designed for educators, coaches, and professionals in the education and sports sectors, OVEP places movement and Olympic themes at its core. Since 2018, LTOK has successfully integrated OVEP into Lithuania’s national curriculum for 8th and 9th-grade students, making it a leading example in Europe. Inspired by Lithuania’s success, the DOA aims to introduce OVEP across Germany and other German-speaking regions. Henning Kunkel, leading this project as the DOA’s Education Officer, used the seminar to learn from their extensive experience.
Insights from the Seminar Week
Kunkel reported that the training program in Birštonas was characterised by practical, hands-on workshops grounded in experiential and activity-based learning methods. The two Lithuanian OVEP trainers placed the international group in carefully constructed scenarios, making internal and external value conflicts tangible and creating opportunities for reflection on how to convey abstract concepts like values effectively through educational tools. One striking example involved a challenge where participants were tasked with crossing a suspended rope in the middle of the room without any tools. The process highlighted critical questions: How do we (democratically) make decisions? Is my focus on achieving the goal quickly (excellence), or ensuring my peer feels comfortable and supported (respect)? Can we balance both?






“The seminar week in Lithuania was a remarkable demonstration of how sport and Olympic values can enrich educational work. The exchange with colleagues from across Europe who share our vision of value-based education was particularly inspiring. Through teamwork and cross-border collaboration, we developed creative ideas and gained fresh perspectives on future cooperation,” said Henning Kunkel. Beyond the educational focus, the week also offered rich cultural experiences. During the Cultural Evenings, participants engaged in Azerbaijani dances, solved riddles about Latvia, and sampled Hungarian delicacies. A traditional dinner in Kaunas provided an introduction to Lithuanian cuisine, further enhancing the international spirit of the event.
The European Olympic Academies greatly value the collaboration with DOA, LTOK, and the other European partners and look forward to applying the insights gained during this seminar week to future projects. A special thanks goes to Henning Kunkel, who represented us exceptionally well. Thank you for sharing your expertise and experiences to ensure that future projects can be implemented more effectively.
For additional insights, watch the recap video of the seminar week below, providing a deeper look into the event and its highlights: