Olympia and the Vietnamese aspiration for knowledge.

When the first program was launched in 1999, few could have imagined that "Road to Olympia" would become a lasting cultural phenomenon in schools for 25 seasons and continue to spread. On the stage of Vietnam Television and at various broadcast locations, tens of thousands of students from remote mountainous areas to major cities have together conquered the "mountain of knowledge." For them, the laurel wreath is not only a reward for intelligence, but also a symbol of willpower and youthful aspirations. The image of families gathering around the screen on Sunday mornings, anxiously watching each question, has become a beautiful memory for many generations.

Olympia not only imparts knowledge but also ignites a passion for learning, nurtures aspirations for excellence, and instills the belief that learning leads to understanding, self-improvement, and national glory. To date, 24 champions have been crowned, hundreds of outstanding contestants have excelled in weekly, monthly, and quarterly competitions, and millions of students have followed the competition. Many former contestants, now successful scientists , engineers, lecturers, and entrepreneurs both domestically and internationally, still carry the spirit of Olympia: a thirst for knowledge, the courage to dream big, and relentless creativity. They are symbols of the confident, dynamic, and integrated generation of Vietnamese students.

" Road to Olympia " doesn't chase fame, but remains steadfast in its core values: honoring knowledge, persistent effort, and honesty. This is what creates its unique identity, making the program a "spiritual anchor" of academic belief – where every student realizes that the longest journey always begins with knowledge and an unwavering will to succeed.

However, the world today is very different from when Olympia was founded. We are living in the era of Industry 4.0, where artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and digital technology are reshaping every field. When AI can answer most questions, what humans need to learn is not just "knowing," but "understanding" and "creating." In this context, Olympia, while still appealing, needs to transform itself to keep up with the digital age.

Many experts believe that "Olympia 4.0" should expand to STEM/STEAM fields , AI, green energy, and global citizenship; and develop into an open learning platform where students nationwide can participate, practice, and learn daily in a digital environment.

A commendable idea is to digitize the entire question bank spanning 25 years to create a "Vietnamese knowledge bank" to serve general education . Then, Olympia would not only be a television competition, but would become a "national knowledge network," connecting students, teachers, former contestants, and Vietnamese intellectuals globally.

In the age of AI, the biggest challenge for education is not whether "machines are smarter than humans," but how to enable humans to learn more deeply, creatively, and humanely. Olympia needs to continue upholding its core values established from the beginning. Because the true value of intelligence lies not in the number of questions answered, but in the ability to ask new questions for a world that is changing every day.

This morning, that flame still burns brightly. Throughout the country, there are still students studying day and night, cherishing the dream of having their names called on the Olympia stage. No matter how times change, the laurel wreath of Vietnamese youth will forever shine brightly, proving that the thirst for knowledge and the spirit of reaching for the world have never ceased to burn in the hearts of the Vietnamese people.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/olympia-va-khat-vong-tri-thuc-viet-185251025203816945.htm