Humanity in Action Scorekeeping Across Continents
“Our vision is to create a Global Academic Innovation Ecosystem of an inspiring and enlightened Academic community for the advancement of Applied Olympic Knowledge. The aim, is to optimize the collective impact and outreach of our social innovation enterprises-and to create conditions where the academic world serve as context changers and knowledge producers- beyond the narrow “academic borders or disciplines” – connected, in other words- to humanism and the challenges of our fragile, global community”
Dr. Alexis Lyras, 2013 O4H Inauguration Speech, Ancient Olympia, Greece.
Next Generation of Olympic Scholars and Practitioners
History has taught us that the direct and indirect effects of the economic recession, unemployment, poverty, and civic disengagement are interconnected with xenophobia, immigration, war and violence across groups and cultures. While a number of scholars, academics, policy makers, practitioners and humanitarian agencies have been engaging in discourses and programming related to the resolution of existing social challenges, “the problems around us grow faster than the actions each one of us is taking.” Based on the foundation that “we can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them” (Albert Einstein), our O4H Academic Innovation ventures aim to establish a world-wide learning community where scholars, researchers, thinkers, policy-makers and practitioners work collaboratively “to explore and enhance the contribution of Olympism to humanity” (IOA, 2011)
Since our first O4H Praxis Programs & Summit in Ancient Olympia in 2013, O4H is organizing symposia, social entrepreneurship workshops and showcase academic innovation fora (O4H Summit & O4H Academic Innovation Forum) parallel to the O4H- Olympism in Action Champions of Change program, aiming to advance a transdisciplinary, academic innovation alliances, scholarship and educational opportunities that will amplify the resolution of existing global challenges.
The main highlights of our first O4H Summits in Ancient Olympia, were Professors’ Fathali Moghaddam, Barbara Burns, Evangelos Albanides, Tassos Kyriakides, Christine Green, Andrew Yiannakis, John Sugden and Alexis Lyras‘ keynote addresses (2014, 2015, 2017 & 2024). They all emphasized the connection between Olympism and Humanism as a peacebuilding Academic Innovation platform for embracing omniculturism, a collective sense of humanity, personal and democracy actualization, community health, rehabilitation and resilience (Albanidis, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2023; Burns, 2014, 2015, 2021; Vassaitis, Dang, Velázquez González & Hwang 2024; Green, 2014; Kyriakides, 2014; Lyras 2013, 2014, 2020, 2021; Moghaddam, 2014, 20200; Sugden, 2017, Vrasidas, 2014, 2017; Yiannakis, 2023). These foundations are integrated in our Olympism for Humanity (O4H) and Sport For Development (SFD) Theories and serve as a universal transdisciplinary blueprint for applied knowledge production, academic teaching, social innovation, community development, fundraising and data-driven Humanity in Action ventures – across continents (Lyras, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2020, 2021, 2023,2024).
During our annual conference, academics, NGO practitioners, youth, educators and humanitarian actors showcase Olympism in Action programs and scholarship and participate in workshops to embrace a shared vision.
The residential O4H Summit and Academic Innovation Fora take place in Athens, Delphi and Ancient Olympia, Greece and across continents parallel to to the O4H Praxis- Champions of Change training. This summit serves as a platform for introspection, community building, system re-design, social entrepreneurship and a global action showcase forum.
We envision this platform as an introspective venue for a journey across “time and space” in an attempt to build bridges across disciplines, cultures and institutions- merging development, social cohesion, civic engagement, peacebuilding, innovation, restoration and resilience.
Since our first O4H Summit – our call remains the same: A Call for Humanity’s Collective Wisdom & Action
Our challenge is to advance applied transcdisciplinary scholarship, local action, academic teaching and civic engagement opportunities that will potentially reform the role of academic institutions, youth, educators, community health and being providers- into agencies that reach out and engage, support and collaborate for the improvement of the human condition.
Based on the Socratic notion of wisdom, this summit serves as a journey of knowledge uninhibited by borders of language, discipline, culture, time and tradition. Questioning our current state of being (personal and institutional) will advance collective knowledge and actions towards the improvement of the human condition-locally and across the globe.
This summit aims to serve as a space for introspection, inspiration, as well as a foundation for creating synergies that embrace collective actions geared towards strengthening our global sense of Humanity- Creativity- and full Potential (Lyras, 2011, 2014, 2024; Moghaddam, 2014, 2024). We, therefore, invite you to join a dynamic community at the birthplace of the Olympic Spirit. Join us in Olympia to light your O4H “torch” and become an “Olympian” in service of humanity.
O4H Academic Innovation Forum Contributions
- Keynote addresses, Keynote Panels and Parallel Session with Paper Oral Presentations
- Roundtable Discussions, Workshops & Poster Presentation Sessions
- Olympism for Humanity Champions of Change Programming & Social Innovation Showcasing
- Site Visits: Ancient Olympia, Athens and Delphi Museums, Ancient Olympia’s archeological site, Delphi and Athens and Ancient Olympia’s Archeological sites
Applications for the 2026 O4H Peace, Health & Democracy Forum & O4H Praxis as part of the O4H Champions of Change Certificate are now open– Click here to join us!
O4H Applied Knowledge Economy
Below you can find extensive analysis of selected O4H Academic Body of knowledge and SAIL with Humanity G.O.A.L.S. Foundations explained by the O4H Founder & President Dr. Alexis Lyras. The links below provide copyright protected O4H synopsis, reports, publications, videos and links about the O4H SAILing journey across continents and keynote addresses and Lectures at the Presidents and Directors of the National Olympic Academies and Officials of National Olympic Committees (2013, 2016, 2023)
2013 Olympism for Humanity Praxis In Olympia, IOA Publication (pages 50-53)
2016 O4H – SAIL for Tomorrow Foundations – Rio Games: from Sao Paolo & Beyond
2017 O4H – SAIL for Tomorrow Thessaloniki Academic Forum
2021 O4H Cyprus-Japan Academic Diplomacy Forum
2017 O4H Global Innovation Forum – Greece
2018 O4H India Academic Innovation Forum
2022 O4H Cyprus Academic Forum
2023 SAILing with Humanity GOALS: IOA President’s and Director’s Keynote Session (pages 33-45)
2024 Health Without Boarders- O4H-UMES Champions of Change: First HBCU in Ancient Olympia
2025 O4H-UMES Academic Innovation Forum: First HBCU O4H Academic Innovation in the USA
Be part of history – make your first steps towards our shared Humanity G.O.A.L.S. & Vision
Below you can find Dr. Alexis Lyras’s Keynote Presentation at the 16th International Session for National Olympic Academies and National OIympic Committee’s Delegates, International Olympic Academy, Ancient Olympia, June 16, 2023.
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