Women central to Milano Cortina 2026’s educational legacy
Now that the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games have come to an end, International Women’s Month provides an opportunity to honour women’s role in crafting and delivering the Games’ legacy in classrooms across Italy – one founded on the principles of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP).
Key facts
- OVEP played a central role in the Milano Cortina 2026 education programme, supported by an Italian team of whom 80 per cent were women.
- Overall, OVEP reached nearly 50,000 teachers across Italy.
- The legacy of the programme extends well beyond the Games, with further events planned for educators and students.
Thousands of students across the country have engaged with the Olympic values through Gen26, Milano Cortina 2026’s education programme. Developed in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Education and Merit, Gen26 incorporated OVEP’s guiding principles from the outset – a process driven in large part by female educators and leaders.
First of all, within the national framework and guidance provided by Gen26 throughout Italy, the dissemination of OVEP has been supported by the Équipe Formative Territoriali (EFT), a nationwide teachers’ network of which around 65 per cent of members are women. That strong presence of female educators has been reflected at every stage of Gen26, with women taking decisive roles in designing content, leading teams, delivering training sessions and supporting schools nationwide. Of the OVEP implementers now operating in Italy, 80 per cent are women.
According to Domenico De Maio, Education and Culture Director at the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee, this dynamic reflects the broader legacy the Games aimed to leave behind, with women central to efforts to translate the Olympic values into practical learning experiences.
“Olympic values education becomes real when it transforms relationships inside classrooms and communities,” he says. “In Italy, we have seen how female educators have played a decisive role in this transformation… stepping forward as leaders – not by seeking visibility, but by taking responsibility.”
Turning the Olympic values into everyday learning
The first step in implementing OVEP within Gen26 came with a train-the-trainer session delivered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February 2025 in Cortina. The session brought together representatives from the EFT network, who went on to become OVEP mentors responsible for supporting schools across Italy.
Together, they delivered OVEP training sessions to over 5,000 teachers, expanding the reach of the programme through workshops, classroom activities and teacher training sessions. They reached an additional 40,000 through broader dissemination efforts.
Women have also played a leading role in designing an open online course dedicated to innovative teaching methodologies for promoting the Olympic and Paralympic values, followed by more than 1,200 teachers.
When developing the course, particular attention was paid to the experiences of female students. Through collaborative exercises and open dialogue, OVEP-based activities such as these create spaces where girls are encouraged to participate actively, build confidence and challenge stereotypes often associated with sport and leadership.
Teachers across various schools have observed how OVEP has encouraged greater participation, helping students engage with discussions around teamwork, respect and responsibility. Many report witnessing concrete positive change in their students.
Overall, OVEP reached nearly 50,000 teachers across Italy. By comparison, the entire Milano Cortina 2026 education programme engaged a total of 150,000 teachers nationwide.
A legacy beyond the Games
For the women involved, participation in Gen26 and engagement with OVEP have also created opportunities for professional growth, and an environment that encourages inclusion.
“Participating in the project was a great opportunity for me to grow through training,” said Rosanna Giuliano, an OVEP educator. “Being a woman in a context of great project importance means supporting and encouraging a culture of mutual respect for a collaborative vision that must be preserved over time.”
The programme has also strengthened professional cooperation and created environments where teachers feel encouraged to experiment with new teaching approaches.
Thanks to Gen26, this work is continuing beyond the Games, not least through International Women’s Day events. A Gen26 training session for educators, run in collaboration with non-governmental organisation Fondazione Terre des Hommes Italia, provides a space for discussion on gender equality and education’s role in fostering inclusion, while the EFT is preparing an online event for secondary school students that will showcase stories of pioneering female athletes.
OVEP’s impact in Italy demonstrates how committed educators – many of them women – are helping turn the Olympic values into everyday learning with lasting social impact.
About the Olympic Values Education Programme
OVEP consists of a series of free and easily accessible teaching resources that complement school curricula using the context of Olympic sports and the Fundamental Principles of Olympism. OVEP communicates the long-term benefits of sport and physical activity through an understanding of Olympism and its impact on individual health, enjoyment and social interaction. For more information, visit the programme’s website.