SOSC is one of the mentee NOCs in the ASAP project, currently working on its sustainability strategy under the supervision of the National Olympic Committee and Sport Confederation of Denmark. The leading Slovak sport organisations believes that it will be able to influence its member federations and other stakeholders not only through a good example of the forthcoming strategy but also as a “facilitator” of sustainable development-related changes.

One important aspect of being a credible “facilitator” is the ability to be a good “educator”. It is precisely this role, which the SOSC has decided develop, and, by building on its previous rich experience, integrate sustainable development in its successful Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP).

Even though the past months have not been favourable to the implementation of in-person activities and workshops, which would normally be at the core of the Slovak OVEP, SOCS turned the Corona-imposed obstacles into an opportunity to enlarge the scope of the programme to topics such as nutrition or environmental education, initiate new partnerships, and thanks to a webinar format, reach a high number of participants. Indeed, the webinar series, which targets primarily middle and high school teachers, youth leaders, instructors, and students, has already attracted over 400 participants.

The first webinar dedicated to the field of environment proved to be  special not only because it was the first time SOSC addressed this topic in its educational activities, but also because it allowed for the creation of a new partnership with “Planet Lover” - Slovak environmental education and awareness-raising NGO. This partnership is set to continue with Planet Lover being in charge of a number of environment-related OVEP webinars on topics such climate change or the intersection bewteen climate and health planned to take place in the following months.

SOCS is planning to continue organising the very well received OVEP workshops and with them to address topics of sustainable development in a long-term manner. Unsurprisingly, education and the promotion of sustainability in the framework of the Slovak OVEP will be one the priority areas of its forthcoming sustainability strategy.

                                                                               Education Partnership