Promoting Cosmopolitan Nationalism Through the Olympic Movement: A Critical Study of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP)

This study critically examines the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), a flagship initiative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Using a critical, conceptual analysis of OVEP’s educational framework, the Olympic Charter, and the philosophy of Pierre de Coubertin, this study argues that the program promotes a form of Cosmopolitan Nationalism that aligns with the contemporary neoliberal world order. The study posits that the Olympic Movement (OM), through its educational mission, leverages the global platform of sports to prepare youth for success in a world characterized by global interdependence and national competition. OVEP instills core Olympic values, including Excellence, Respect, and Friendship—alongside essential life skills such as resilience, teamwork, and social-emotional learning. This focus on developing “human capital” with both local and global competencies reflects the synthesis of global interconnectedness and national identity inherent in Cosmopolitan Nationalism. The study posits that OVEP reflects elements of contemporary global neoliberal logics through its emphasis on skills development and global competencies. However, it also argues that the program cannot be understood as a uniform or top-down ideological instrument. Rather, OVEP operates as a flexible educational framework that is interpreted, negotiated, and adapted in diverse cultural and national contexts. The study, therefore, adopts a supportively critical perspective, suggesting that OVEP simultaneously reflects global discourses of competitiveness while also enabling locally meaningful forms of educational adaptation and identity construction.