United Nations and IOC calls for pause in wars during Winter Olympics
## Call for Olympic Truce During Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
Call for Olympic Truce During Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
With the commencement of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy scheduled for Mon, Feb 6, 2023, the United Nations and the organizers of the Games have advocated for a 52-day cessation of hostilities worldwide. This initiative is rooted in the ancient Greek tradition where warring city-states would observe a truce to allow safe passage for athletes and spectators.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) revived this practice in the 1990s. Constantinos Filis, director of the International Olympic Truce Centre, emphasized the ethical necessity of respecting the Olympic Truce, although its practical implementation may vary. The truce aims to leverage sport's capacity to foster peace, dialogue, and reconciliation, especially amid current global conflicts and geopolitical tensions.
Since 1993, a United Nations resolution has supported the call for a truce. Filis notes that even a temporary ceasefire can facilitate dialogue, as it is challenging for conflicting parties to engage in substantive negotiations while hostilities continue.
This initiative is rooted in the ancient Greek tradition where warring city-states would observe a truce to allow safe passage for athletes and spectators.
The proposed truce is set to commence one week before the Winter Games and conclude one week after the Paralympics, running from Mon, Jan 30, 2023, to Wed, Mar 15, 2023.
Historically, the invocation of the Olympic Truce has rarely resulted in long-lasting ceasefires or negotiations. However, there have been notable instances of success. During the 1994 Winter Games in Norway, a one-day pause in the siege of Sarajevo allowed aid convoys to deliver essential supplies. In 2000, North and South Korea marched together at the Sydney Olympics’ opening ceremony.
Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry, head of the IOC, addressed the UN General Assembly in November, emphasizing that sport, particularly the Olympic Games, provides a platform for unity and hope. Coventry highlighted that even amidst divisions, the Games can inspire a sense of shared humanity and a vision for a better future. The Olympic Truce remains a vital aspect of these endeavors.
Based on reporting by Africanews.