Culture and Olympic Heritage Commissions ()

The Commission for the International Olympic Academy (IOA) and Olympic Education was first formed in 1967, with Danish International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member [Ivar Vind] as the first chair. This Commission oversaw the IOA in Olympia, Greece, and the Commission had as its mission following the activities of the IOA, contributing to the success of the IOA, receiving the periodical reports of IOA Sessions, and keeping the IOC informed of the progress of the IOA. This Commission also helped promote Olympic Education by spreading the message of Olympism. In addition to IOC members, the IOA/Education Commission had representatives from the National Olympic Committees, International Federations, and former Olympic athletes, as well as several academic scholars, usually sports historians or sociologists.

The original name of this commission was the Commission for the International Olympic Academy, but the name was enlarged in 1993, reflecting the increased emphasis on Olympic Education. Upon the recommendations of the IOC 2000 Commission, the Commission for the International Olympic Academy and Olympic Education was merged with the Cultural Commission in early 2000. The commission was renamed to the Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission under President Thomas Bach’s tenure, and as of 2022 the chair is Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul.

The current charge for this commission is to develop links between sport and culture in all its forms, encourage cultural exchange and promote the diversity of cultures. It helps organize special events and with the National Olympic Committees, develops Olympic education programs. Its mission has been described by the IOC as: “To advise the IOC on the promotion of culture in the broadest sense of the term – art, history, focus on values, academic research and patrimonial collections – with a view to promoting the Olympic ideals as widely as possible, especially among young people all over the world.”

Some of the above was taken from the IOC official website. Please refer to the following link for further details, especially of current members of this commission.