Welcome
Welcome to our website. During the first years of the new millennium a number of international organizations such as the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee, International Sport Federations and the European Union have stated that sports can become a useful tool toward resolving a number of social problems such us poverty, racism and inter-ethnic conflict (United Nations, 2002; 2003; 2005). One of the orientations of this new practice is to use sport to reduce nationalism in the multicultural world we live in and promote cross cultural and inter-ethnic dialogue in regions where conflict exists (Amara, Aquilina, Henry & Taylor, 2005; Fountain, 1999; Reich & Pivovarov, 1994; United Nations, 2002; 2003; 2005).
The Doves Olympic Movement (Lyras, 2001; 2003) is an educational sports initiative founded in 2001 and aims to utilize the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations under the framework of the philosophy and principles of the Olympic Movement (Lyras, 2001; 2003; Lyras, Yiannakis & Kartakoullis 2004; 2005a; 2005b; 2006). Doves Olympic Movement aim to provide non-traditional research oriented educational sport practices to resolve a number of social problems such as cross-cultural intolerance, juvenile delinquency, isolation of marginalized populations and racism. Through our program, children, parents and instructors from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, gender, religion and ethnicity, come together and engage in activities that facilitate character development and promote social inclusion. Our program aims to use sports to achieve stability, inclusion, peace and personal development.
In the summer of 2005 the Doves Olympic Movement conducted the first bi-communal educational sport initiative on the Island. Since then, more than 200 children and 50 instructors got together under the flag of the Olympic Movement and participated in our Summer Camps. Through the words of the instructors of our summer program: “…this camp was a very strong verification that human beings have no differences”. Another instructor mentioned that “…everybody feels that one week is not enough. We all wanted to stay here at least for one more week. In the camp we established strong relationships; we became one big family and we should continue to see each other after the camp”. Such reactions give us courage and dedication to continue and extend the activities of our program beyond the weeklong camp. Such expressions indicate that sports, in a pure educational and non political setting, have the potential to empower individuals and societies. It seems that sports, under certain conditions, have the power to prepare the ground for a better future of the youth of our island.
During the last year we also developed a pioneer sport unit which is called “Sport, Education and Development Unit” (SEDU) (Lyras, Yiannakis & Kartakoullis, 2005a; 2005b). The SEDU is being implemented in collaboration with the Latsia Municipality. Through the SEDU, children have the opportunity to play sports, learn about life time skills, health and wellbeing issues and engage in individual and collective initiatives. The purpose of the SEDU is to provide a program that use sports as “social medicine” (Lyras, 2001; 2003; Lyras, Yiannakis & Kartakoullis, 2005a; 2005b). This is facilitated by engaging the youth of the island in educationally focused sport activities that are based on the principle of balance between a healthy mind and a healthy body (mens sana in corpore sano). The after school educational initiatives aim to promote sportsmanship and interpersonal relationships. Hopefully, the positive outcomes of the development of such units (SEDU), in a theory driven, non political and non traditional sport environment will inspire our educational and sport authorities to replicate similar projects throughout the island.
The formalization and the design of the initial concept of the Doves Olympic Movement project were made feasible with support from the Olympic Solidarity (International Olympic Committee). All the activities of our project are funded by UNDP-ACT and USAID and part of our research project was supported by the Cyprus Research Foundation. Without their support our program would have been …just ideas on a piece of paper. Along with our scientific team of collaborators from Intercollege, Peace Players International (former Playing for Peace), The University of Connecticut, Sports PLUS, The Institute of International Sports, Clemson University and Yale University, we want to inspire sport and educational authorities to utilize more humanistic, theory driven and evidence based sport practices. Our vision is to see the application of “Social Sport Medicine” projects, serving as a “treatment” of overcoming a number of challenges of our global society.
Alexis Lyras
Founder and Principal Investigator
Doves Olympic Movement
February, 2007