Jan Orlovsky is the Executive Director of the Open Society Foundation in Slovakia (OSF). Since 2013 OSF operates as an independent grant-making organization supporting Slovak civil society organizations and executing its own educational and media literacy programs. Aflatoun has been one of the OSF´s key educational programs since 2015.

Jan has had a governmental and business experience, previously working as a diplomat for the Slovak foreign service in Washington, DC and then as a spokesman and head of the Office of the Board of ZSE, an electricity distributor and member of E.ON Group. He has been engaged with the civil society sector in the country for 25 years and served as a voluntary member on Boards of Trustees of seven NGOs.

Jan joined the Global Network Board in 2019.

Why Aflatoun?

Child-centred joy and wisdom for the kids.

What will be your focus as a board member? 

Voice of the children – they have smart things to say, we need them to be engaged.

Why is social and financial education important? 

Since spending and social distancing seem to be the kings of our times, learning how to manage one´s resources and how to live in peace with one another are lifesaving skills.  

How would you explain what you do to a 5-year-old? 

I work with people around the world who love children like you very much. We share the stories you and other kids tell us about the people, animals, plants and things you see and then the best ones we bring to you and your teachers so that you can hear them too. 

What do you like most about Aflatoun? 

The child-centred approach to learning the skills that are essential and last a lifetime.

What is something education NGOs have to deal with that you want to/work to fix?  

Public trust and breaking-up of the state monopoly on further education of teachers. 

How do you see the future of Aflatoun? 

Natural growth and expansion. The programme combines crucial learning with skills that children and young people will need to succeed in the economically and environmentally very challenging world.  

A motto or quote close to your philosophy of life?  

“One good deed a day – no matter how small it seems to be.”