Eleventh Session July 1971

INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY ELEVENTH SESSION 16 JULY - 2 AUGUST 1971 OLYMPIA Published by the Hellenic Olympic Committee 4, Kapsali Street, Athens (138) - Greece. Printed by : M. Pehlivanidis & Co - Athens. ATHENS 1971 REPORT OF THE ELEVENTH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY AT OLYMPIA ATHENS 1971 During the 71st Session of the International Olympic Committee in Luxemburg (15-17th September 1971) THE BONACOSSA TRO- PHY was awarded, for the second time, to the Hellenic Olympic Com- mittee. "FOR ITS WORK IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTER- NATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY AND FOR THE FILM RELEA- SED ON THE ACADEMY". H.M. King Constantine of the Hellenes, Olympic Gold Medallist, Honorary President of the International Olympic Academy. The Secretary General for Sports, Mr. Constantine Aslanidis, addressing the audience. Mr. Dim. Tsakonas, Under - Secretary of State to the Prime Minister, declares the opening of the 11th Session. Lieutenant General Theodossios Papathanassiadis, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, addressing the audience. The President of the International Olympic Academy and Secretary General of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Mr. Epaminondas Petralias, speaking on the Hill of the Pnyx. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES EPHORIA OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY President : Mr. EPAM. PETRALIAS, Hon. Secretary General of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. First Vice-President : Mr. NIK. GOUMAS, Member of the H.O.C. Second Vice-President : Dr. NIK. PAPARESKOS, Member of the H.O.C Curator : Mr. OTTO SZYMICZEK, Technical Adviser of the H.O.C. Deputy Curator : Mr. CLEANTHIS PALAEOLOGOS, Hon. Director, National Academy of Physical Education. Members : Vice - Admiral P. LAPPAS, Member of the I.O.C. for Greece. Mr. ATH. TZARTZANOS, Member of the H.O.C. Mr. TH. PANZARIS Honorary Members : Mr. A. BRUNDAGE (U.S.A.), President of the I.O.C. Mr. K. GEORGACOPOULOS, President of the Greek Red Cross. Mr. G. KOURNOUTOS, Director of Letters, Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office. Dr. NIK. YALOURIS, Director of Antiquities, Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office. Mr. G. PAPASTEFANOU, Director of the Historical Museum of Modern Olympic Games. Director General : Rear-Admiral E. PANAS. 9 THE I.O.C. COMMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY Chairman : Mr. IVAR EMIL VIND, I.O.C. Member for Denmark. Members : H.M. KING GONSTANTINE, I.O.C. Member for Greece. Vice-Admiral PYRROS LAPPAS, I.O.C. Member for Greece. Dr. GIORGIO DE STEFANI, I.O.C. Member for Italy. Mr. ALEXANDRU SIPERCO, I.O.C. Member for Rumania. 10 FOREWORD In this volume you will find the report of proceedings of the 11th Ses- sion of the International Olympic Academy, held in Athens and Ancient Olympia from, July 16 to August 20, 1971. Incessant work is, as we all know, a fundamental rule of life for civilized people, and the basic element of success is the constant wish for and effort towards better achievements. The 11th Session of the I.O.A. was an important step in the evolution of the many cultural activities which com- pose the Academy's goals. During the Session, an assessment of past efforts was made and the main lines of future activities were set forth. En- thusiasm and tireless work marked the first decade. The 11th Session wishes to base activities of the coming decade on creative work which is not inspired by passion or persistence, but by faith in the ideals and true love for past accomplishments and for greater future achievements. It is well-known that any idea of progress is inherent in action and that progress is what we have known until yesterday; now, however, we have to renew it and improve it. If the Olympic Idea, a purely spiritual activity, is subject to the changes which all contemporary social phenomena undergo as part of a natural process, then it is also natural that the high idea which we serve has to take new initiatives, find new prospects and trends, since it is an idea which is at the root of human life and existence. The first ten years of the I.O.A.'s operation combined the enthusiasm of pioneers to the dedication of missionaries, to the study and research efforts of inspired searchers and to the difficulties and frustration of igno- rants. Nevertheless, work goes on and at the end of the first decade it has been proved that the aims for which the Academy was founded have been fulfilled. The way has now been opened and paved for the new decade. A cultural centre has been founded in the place which is the heart of the international Olympic Movement, Ancient Olympia, where adequate facilities have been built and where work progresses under international cooperation and assistance. Efforts may now tend at making the I.O.A. a bright bea- con which will illuminate, with almost blinding intensity, the ideals of modern athletics, the pure conscience and honest values on which they are based and their achievements in our times, so that today's youth may pro- fit from them in the near future. All efforts of the I.O.A. will aim at teaching persistence, honesty, justice and love for human beings and the real need for good and progress and for the smooth and normal evolution which comes smoothly and effort- lessly just as spring descends every year from the mountain tops to cover 11 the whole earth with its kindness, its colours and scents. Finally, all our efforts will be aimed at teaching all people how to live in a genuinely com- petitive way, not submitting to their fate, but guiding and shaping their fate for a better future. We believe that the attitude of the civilized human being towards the various acute social problems is dictated, to a great extent, by his ideologi- cal attitude towards sports. Sports have thus become an essential and important factor of culture and learning, if we take present tendencies into consideration. We can accordingly say that the main pursuits of our times are the industrialization of work and sources of raw materials, the techni- cality of thought, the development of civilization, the neutralization of the soul and feelings. Our times are characterized by mass production and mass consumption. There is complete disregard for the original and only the copy or substitute are held in any esteem. We feel proud for having succeeded in manufacturing flowers in gorgeous colours but which lack the beauty and perfume of the real thing. In these times without heart and perhaps without soul, sports will bring harmony which, according to the Ancient Greeks, fulfills the true meaning of human existence : "They care not of how they will live or die, but how to do both in the proper way" (Laconic saying, mentioned by Apollonius) 1. The first decade of the I.O.A's activities was the period of organization and coming of age. It was the difficult period of the laying of founda- tions and building of infrastructure works. Life under the tents, the penury of ressources, the time of construction. During these ten years, 1400 participants from 60 countries have been inspired by the cradle of the Olympic spirit and ideals. 87 distingui- shed lecturers from 25 countries taught and spread the Olympic message. The I.O.A.has already been imposed, internationally, as the unique cultural centre of modern Olympic movement and the proof of this recogni- tion is the support granted to it by the I.O.C. which participates in the I.O.A's organization and follows and supports its work through a special commission, while I.O.C. members regularly attend the annual Sessions. Another proof of the international appreciation of the Academy's work is the award by the I.O.C. to the Hellenic Olympic Committee - to which the I.O.C. had assigned the task of founding, organizing and running the I.O.A. - of the international Olympic prize "Bonacossa" "for the truly dedicated work carried out by the I.O.A. during a whole decade" and for 1. "ου το ζην θέµενοι καλόν, ουδέ τό θνήσκειν αλλά το ταυτα αµφότερ' εκτελέσαι". 12 the production of the beautiful film picture on the Sessions activities, the installations, meetings, communal life, sports and the trip from Athens to Olympia. The following I.O.C. members attended the 11th Session : Jonkheer H. A. van Karnebeek (HOL), Vice-President of the I.O.C., Dr. G. de Stefâni (ITA), Mr. A. Siperco (RUM), Mr. I. E. Vind (DEN), Vice. Admiral P. Lappas (GRE), Mr. R. Gafner (SWI), Dr. G. von Opel (GER). During the Session a joint meeting of the I.O.C. Commission for the I.O.A. (Chairman Mr. Ivαr Vind) and the I.O.A's Ephoria was held, in the presence also of Mr. Constantine Aslanidis, Secretary General for Sports. During this meeting, the possibility of widening the scope of the I.O.A's international activities was discussed, in view of the wider disse- mination of Olympic Ideals. This question however, being quite extensive, requires further elaboration. Furthermore, the I.O.C's Executive Board's official views on the subject are expected before any definite decisions are made. Apart from the main themes, History and Philosophy of the Games and the Olympic Movement, the specific question of the future of modern Olympic Games was also discussed during the 11th Session. The effort aiming at associating the philosophic principles on which the ancient games were based to the principles imposed by our times, by modern social developments and, trends and technological progress, met with complete success. The intellectual and educational level of participants in the 11th Session was quite high; they took part in animated discussions on various historical, philosophical and archaeological topics and examined the many problems related to the modern Olympic movement and to the technical development of sports, games and competitions.

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