Following the conclusion of the Winter Paralympic Games of Milano Cortina 2026, International Women’s Month becomes a timely opportunity to highlight a less visible yet deeply transformative dimension: the role of women in building the educational legacy of the event. In classrooms across Italy, this impact has taken shape through experiences that go beyond sport, connecting values, emotions, and everyday learning under the principles of the International Olympic Committee and its pedagogical approach.

This process has been driven by the Gen26 program, developed in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Education, which has enabled thousands of students to engage with Olympic values through the Olympic Values Education Programme. Behind its implementation lies a network of educators and leaders who have supported, designed, and brought each initiative to life, transforming classrooms into spaces where Olympism shifts from an abstract concept into a lived experience.

Women leading educational transformation

Within the national rollout of Gen26, the Équipe Formative Territoriali (EFT) network has played a key role in expanding the program’s reach, with women representing around 65% of its members. This strong presence is reflected not only in numbers, but in tangible influence at every stage of the process—from content creation to teacher training and direct support for schools. In fact, 80% of those implementing OVEP in Italy are women, a clear indication of how female leadership has shaped this legacy from its foundations.

The train-the-trainers session led by the International Olympic Committee in Cortina in February 2025 marked a decisive starting point. From there, a multiplier effect reached more than 5,000 teachers through direct training sessions and an additional 40,000 through broader outreach initiatives. At the same time, the development of an online course on innovative teaching methodologies—followed by more than 1,200 educators—incorporated a sensitive perspective on students’ experiences, fostering spaces where girls and young women are encouraged to actively participate, build confidence, and challenge stereotypes often associated with sport and leadership.

A legacy that extends beyond the Games

For many of the women involved, Gen26 has also served as a platform for professional growth and collaboration. The experience has opened up opportunities to rethink teaching practices, promote collective work, and build more inclusive environments within the education system. Testimonies such as that of Rosanna Giuliano reflect how this participation has represented not only training, but also the chance to contribute to a culture grounded in mutual respect and a shared vision.

Far from ending with the closing of the Games, this legacy continues to evolve through new initiatives. Activities linked to International Women’s Day, organized alongside entities such as Fondazione Terre des Hommes Italia, as well as virtual events led by the EFT, keep the conversation on gender equality and inclusion alive. In this context, the stories of pioneering female athletes and classroom experiences continue to nurture an educational process that has already reached nearly 50,000 teachers through OVEP and more than 150,000 through the broader Milano Cortina 2026 education program.