The Sports Festival of the School Olympic Games has the same structure as the real Olympic Games: there are opening, awards and closing ceremonies, participants’ processions, the Olympic flag is hoisted, the Olympic fire is lit, oaths of referees and athletes are taken, and a suitable cultural programme takes place. The succession of ceremonial elements is determined in the Olympic Charter, but different schools have nevertheless managed to find very different, ceremonial and other interesting solutions.

The compulsory elements of the Sports Festival

1. Opening ceremony:
o the procession of the participants;
o opening speech;
o declaring the School Olympic Games open;
o the flag and anthem of the School Olympic Games;
o lighting the Olympic flame;
o the oath taken by athletes and referees;
o a cultural programme.

2. The sports events:
The exact programme of the sports events can be determined by each school according to their capabilities, but the program should include several exciting and different subjects, such as the long jump with dumbbells, shield race, last man’s race and various folk events.

NB! It is recommended that the sports programme be organised so that it would attract children with various abilities and interests to engage in pleasant activities in the form of sports competitions. Organising a sports day with very many sports events should not be the main goal.

3. The closing ceremony:
o the closing speech of the School Olympic Games;
o putting out the Olympic flame;
o lowering the Olympic flag;
o final music.