The Sapporo Olympic Education Programme

The programme aimed to enhance public awareness of the Olympic Winter Games Sapporo 1972, foster good relations between associated organisations, and promote the Olympic values within the Sapporo region’s schools.

In addition, the programme aimed to help schoolchildren understand the goals of the Olympic Games, to enhance their awareness and pride as citizens of Sapporo, and to ensure that Sapporo was a welcoming place for visitors during the Games.

A number of materials were distributed to help achieve these goals. Among them was a teachers’ “Snow and Ice Sport” guidebook developed by the Japan Ministry of Education; an implementation guide called “The Guidebook for Olympic Learning”, published by the Board of Education of Sapporo City; and other supporting materials such as posters and a conversation textbook on the Olympic Games and the Olympic values.

As part of the Olympic Education Programme, 80,000 students and their teachers from elementary, junior and high schools visited the Olympic venues before and during the event in order to fully understand how the Games were being prepared and then experience them. Annual cultural and sports festivals were also organised at schools in conjunction with the local community.

These sport-based events featured a torch relay, five-rings-themed decorations and a hurdles race related to the Olympic Games. For the cultural festivals, exhibitions displayed information about the history and climates of the participating countries, as well as profiles of famous Olympic athletes. Schools introduced “Olympic corners”, with world maps, slogans and artwork all aiming to promote international understanding.

An international exchange programme was also developed through some elementary, junior and high schools in Sapporo. As early as 1961, students from Portland, USA, and Grenoble, France, developed mutual exchange activities. For the 1972 Games, 10 elementary schools, two junior high schools, seven high schools and three kindergartens joined the Olympic international exchange programmes – sending letters, photos and artwork, and visiting each other’s countries.