The newly-introduced subject is called Olympiad and will be taught once a week in primary and high schools across the country. The Ministry of Education and the Organising Committee for the 2004 Athens Olympics have joined forces in an attempt to raise awareness for the Games at an early age. According to the president of the 2004 committee, Ms Gianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki, the subject will help "pupils to understand and grasp the Olympic ideals as well as the transcending value of the Olympian spirit and the Olympic movement, so that they can welcome the 2004 games as athletes, spectators, fans or volunteer helpers."

Ms Angelopoulou-Daskalaki has repeatedly stressed that the success of the 2004 Olympics will greatly rely on the participation and involvement of people from all over the country. As both the Minister of Education, Mr Petros Efthymiou, and the president of the organising committee for the 2004 Olympic Games put it, "we want to create a whirlwind of volunteers for the Athens Games." Initial estimates are pointing towards some 60.000 volunteers.

The Olympiad subject will initially be introduced to 1,500 primary schools and 2,000 high schools around the country, with 1,000 physical education teachers taking their post in high schools. An additional 2,000 teachers will be integrated in the programme in the near future. The lesson will include educational trips to archaeological sites of Olympic importance, visits to permanent exhibitions around the country, access to libraries and archive material and the use of a specifically designed teaching kit.

The programme is funded and supported by the Athens 2004 organising committee and the ministries of culture and education. During the first phase (2000-2001) the cost for qualified teaching personnel is estimated at GDR3.5 billion, while an additional GDR6 billion will be pumped into the programme for the three years leading to the Athens 2004 Olympics. During this second phase, an additional 4,500 primary schools and 2,000 high schools will introduce the subject to their curriculum. As to higher education institutions, students will be encouraged to take on assignments and PhDs delving into Games-related issues. Research scholarship funds for postgraduate studies on the management of large-scale sport events will also be set up.