Rowing home to Old Olympia

Ancient Olympia is located in a gently swinging bucolic countryside decorated with pine trees, hills and grazing grounds for sheep and goats, friendly dogs and shepherds. Flowers blossom everywhere. Through the idyllic landscape flows the scenic river Alpheios born in the mountains of Arcadia and winding along the long and greening valley. Eventually, it passes by next to many coarse and giant grey stone discs and huge columns, ruins of temples dedicated to the highest Greek gods as Zeus and Hera. It is the Holy Sanctuary of the "land of the Greeks" of old, the Altis at Olympia below the foot of Kronos Hill. Here, almost three millenia ago, was the Center of the ancient Greek culture of Olympic gods and Great Games. "Arcadia" was considered the origin and "Golden Age" of elegiac literature, Olympia of top-level agons at the stadium. And of public encounters of political, religious and military leaders as well as agons of rhetoricians, historians and philosophers. This is even nowadays a place of ever again coming back to: Rolling home to Old Olympia. Even modern Olympians are lured into the magical entourage and scenery. Including the author of this booklet. Sixty years ago, he taught here as a first Olympic docent at the Olympic Summer Academy organized by the Hellenic and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), after having written the first socio-philosophical book on "Values, Aims, Reality of the Modern Olympic Games" (1964), summarized in English. Later, he wrote "S.O.S. - Save Olympic Spirit" (2012). Now, he was invited to come back to present the opening lecture of the International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO) which was for the first time held in Ancient Olympia. Enthused, he came flying, rolling home to Old Olympia - as a former Olympic Champion in rowing - metaphorically: Rowing home to Old Olympia. Not only does he here present this keynote address, but vividly he offers his Olympic experiences and other quite funny but real Olympic stories - even his