History​

Brief history of the Olympiad

The tradition of co-operation between the three Baltic schools was established in 1961 based on the initiative of the physical education teachers. The first event took place in Riga. At that time the oldest schools of the three Baltic countries carried the number 1 in their names.

The international competition in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics between Riga First State Gymnasium, Tallinn Gustav Adolf Grammar School and Vilnius Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium began in 1987. Since then the meetings have taken place every year, excluding 1992.

The year 2008 could be called a turning point in the history of the competition. As the Nordic organization Nordplus financed the contest in sciences for several years, it was possible to invite more schools. Munkkiniemi School was the first to join. In 2009 it was possible to widen the circle of participants further. Gustav Adolf Grammar School hosted five schools from Riga, Vilnius, Helsinki, Västerås and St. Petersburg. In 2023 Munkkiniemi School has the honor to host the event for the third time.

The students as well as the teachers have benefited greatly from the contacts created and maintained over the years. They have developed the participants’ knowledge of the particular subjects as well as broadened their horizons in the cultural and political backgrounds of the participating countries. Since 2014 staying at host families has further enhanced the cultural exchange.