Dr. Alexis Lyras is the Founder and Academic Director of Olympism For Humanity Alliance and holds a Senior Fellowship at the Conflict Resolution Program, Department of Government at Georgetown University GU ( since 2012. His core expertise is on the social-psychological aspects of Olympism for Humanity in Action, the integration of Olympic Studies as a Peacebuilding platform for Social Innovation, de-radicalization and Democracy Actualization interventions.This framework has served as a blueprint for Lyras’ MA and PhD work, with scholarship and funding received from the Olympic Solidarity and the United Nations- and was established through close to 30 years of field-based interventions, teaching and research.
Dr. Lyras has 30 years of experience in strategic planning and consulting; developing and implementing integrated research, teaching, student engagement academic programs youth and professional programming and policy; and in conducting monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian, peacebuilding and development programs and initiatives. He has consulted for national, regional and international youth, development, education and health agencies, civil society organizations, ministries and Universities in Greece, Cyprus, Africa, Monaco, the USA, Asia, Latin America, Qatar, Japan, India, Uganda and the Caribbean. As a grantee and Principal Investigator, he has received 1,070,000 USD in funding from the Olympic Solidarity, I.O.C., E.U., U.N.D.P., Generations for Peace and Charity Foundations to implement research-based cross-cultural youth peace-building initiatives and more than 2,000,000 USD in collaborative projects focusing on: inter-ethnic trust and collaboration, social perspective taking, change agent efficacy, youth engagement, social innovation and global citizenship.
Dr. Alexis Lyras is the author of the Olympism For Humanity (O4H) Theory and Sport for Development Theory (SFDT), the first and most widely used Applied Olympic Education interdisciplinary theories in this emerging field. O4H and SFDT provide sound theoretical foundations and practical recommendations as a competency framework (O4HA Literacy) that are utilized for the design, delivery and evaluation of Olympism in Action preventive interventions, curriculum design, professional/vocational training, academic courses and student engagement initiatives. Lyras’ Theories are being used by various scholars and youth humanitarian programs across the globe and was validated in various settings such as (a) inter-group conflict and peace-building interventions, (b) inclusion and integration of homeless youth and refugees, (b) health prevention interventions, (c) gender roles and inclusion policy evaluation, (d) at risk youth non-formal education programs, (e) service learning, youth and student exchange ventures, (f) youth engagement and change agency, and (g) SFD-Olympism in Action personal and institutional capacity building.
Dr. Lyras is currently working on establishing a Humanity in Action Champions of Change GU venture, which aims to advance a world-wide Academic Ecosystem committed to institutionalizing Olympism for Humanity Actions across fragile regions and communities in need.
A synthesis of his 30 years field work and long-term vision of his global initiative can be found in his most recent publication at the APA Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, which will be made available on May 2021.
Dr. Lyras has 30 years of experience in strategic planning and consulting; developing and implementing integrated research, teaching, student engagement academic programs youth and professional programming and policy; and in conducting monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian, peacebuilding and development programs and initiatives. He has consulted for national, regional and international youth, development, education and health agencies, civil society organizations, ministries and Universities in Greece, Cyprus, Africa, Monaco, the USA, Asia, Latin America, Qatar, Japan, India, Uganda and the Caribbean. As a grantee and Principal Investigator, he has received 1,070,000 USD in funding from the Olympic Solidarity, I.O.C., E.U., U.N.D.P., Generations for Peace and Charity Foundations to implement research-based cross-cultural youth peace-building initiatives and more than 2,000,000 USD in collaborative projects focusing on: inter-ethnic trust and collaboration, social perspective taking, change agent efficacy, youth engagement, social innovation and global citizenship.
Dr. Alexis Lyras is the author of the Olympism For Humanity (O4H) Theory and Sport for Development Theory (SFDT), the first and most widely used Applied Olympic Education interdisciplinary theories in this emerging field. O4H and SFDT provide sound theoretical foundations and practical recommendations as a competency framework (O4HA Literacy) that are utilized for the design, delivery and evaluation of Olympism in Action preventive interventions, curriculum design, professional/vocational training, academic courses and student engagement initiatives. Lyras’ Theories are being used by various scholars and youth humanitarian programs across the globe and was validated in various settings such as (a) inter-group conflict and peace-building interventions, (b) inclusion and integration of homeless youth and refugees, (b) health prevention interventions, (c) gender roles and inclusion policy evaluation, (d) at risk youth non-formal education programs, (e) service learning, youth and student exchange ventures, (f) youth engagement and change agency, and (g) SFD-Olympism in Action personal and institutional capacity building.
Dr. Lyras is currently working on establishing a Humanity in Action Champions of Change GU venture, which aims to advance a world-wide Academic Ecosystem committed to institutionalizing Olympism for Humanity Actions across fragile regions and communities in need.
A synthesis of his 30 years field work and long-term vision of his global initiative can be found in his most recent publication at the APA Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, which will be made available on May 2021.
