Every school in Scotland is to be given a copy of the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire so pupils can learn the story of "perhaps the most celebrated Scottish Olympian of all time".
First Minister Alex Salmond announced the plan as he officially opened Scotland House in London, which will function as an unofficial "Scottish embassy" during the Olympics.
The 1981 film is based on the story of Scottish athlete Eric Liddell and his team-mate Harold Abrahams at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.
Liddell, a devout Christian, refused to compete in his strongest event, the 100m, because the race was held on a Sunday. Instead he switched to the 400m and won the gold medal in a world record time.
Mr Salmond said there was a "need to honour our heroes at home," adding: "With that in mind, from next term we are making sure that every schoolchild in Scotland can learn more about the achievements of Eric Liddell.
"We have a rich Olympic history, with the recent gold medal successes of athletes such as Sir Chris Hoy and Shirley Robertson, and the celebrated achievements of Allan Wells and David Wilkie still fresh in the memory.
"Eric Liddell, though, remains perhaps the most celebrated Scottish Olympian of all time."
After competing in Paris Liddell worked as a Christian missionary in China, ending up in an internment camp in the 1940s after Japan invaded the country during the Second World War.
He was given the chance to leave the camp in a prisoner-exchange deal, but gave up his place for a pregnant woman and later died in captivity in February 1945.
Chariots of Fire producer Lord Puttnam said the announcement, which follows the release of a digitally remastered version of the film, was "fantastic" news.
"I think it is fantastic, it's highly appropriate and the timing is brilliant," he said. "The remastered version is beautiful, so I am absolutely delighted.
"The key is the discussion that takes place afterwards about this extraordinary man, not just the fact that he wouldn't run in the Olympics but also the rest of his life. This is a man who was offered out of the internment camp but gave his place up for a pregnant woman. This is a great person."
The Scotland House venue will be a showcase for Scottish culture, sport, business and tourism during the Olympics, following similar ventures at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and Delhi.
Mr Salmond said: "At the same time we will be able to remind the international sporting community that the next major sporting games will be held on Scotland's shores, as preparations continue for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games."
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