The International Brain HSP Olympiad (IHSPO) was created:
- Out of the necessity for a new Olympiad that fits the 21st century: the century of the brain.
- To emphasize the unlimited potential of the brain and foster emerging 21st century talent, which manifests the abilities associated with integrated brain utilization.
- To raise awareness that the brain is the key to the recovery of humanity.
IHSPO participants compete not on their knowledge of facts, but on the functioning of their neural systems and faculties. The Brain Window event tests the ability to perceive colors without ordinary visual sensory information. The Speed Brain event tests the ability to recognize and remember visual cues (colors, letters, and symbols) in a fraction of a second. The HSP Gym event challenges participants to hold demanding postures for extended periods, using motor systems and balance of the two hemispheres of the brain. In Body Sense Perception, contestants use subtle physical senses to identify liquids (water, juice or milk) without visual information. The IHSPO celebrates the integrated functioning of the brain itself, not just athleticism or knowledge. The IHSPO has been held annually since 2005.
In 2008 the Fourth International Brain HSP Olympiad was held at the United Nations in New York in commemoration of International Youth Day. Over 500 people from ten countries participated, including 200 children. A special panel of youth speakers presented on the role that youth could play in internationalism and creating a culture of peace. Ms. Shamina de Gonzaga, Special Advisor on NGO Relations in the Office of the President of the General Assembly, spoke on the importance of being aware of how people treat one another. She also highlighted the significance of the Brain Declaration’s last line - “Take back your brain!” - in the context of messages from mass media and marketing, which can diminish our sense of intrinsic human worth. Through its unique purpose and activities, the Fourth International Brain HSP Olympiad evoked an exceptional level of hope and enthusiasm among participants, observers, and speakers alike.
2009 Olympiad >> Go to http://www.ibreaus.org/us/brainolympiad/brainolympiad/20090330.html