The United Nations and the organizers of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics have called for a seven-week pause in all global conflicts a week before the start of the games. This was reported by Euronews, informs UNN.
Details
It is noted that proponents of the initiative, which originates from ancient Greek tradition, say it establishes a moral framework at a time when armed conflicts are escalating.
I believe that the Olympic Games are a great moment to symbolize peace, respect for international law, and international cooperation
It is indicated that the proposed break covers the Winter Olympics, which will run from February 6 to 22, and the Paralympic Games, which will run from March 6 to 15, with an additional week before and after each of these events.
For ethical reasons, we want to send a message that the Olympic Truce, the Sacred Olympic Truce, should be respected. This is not always achievable in practice. But the message reaches every corner of the globe: where possible, we must strive to create even a small space for peace
According to him, ceasefire initiatives "still matter in an era of global disorder and political polarization."
In turn
For reference
The Olympic Games were revived in their modern form in 1896, and the concept of a truce around the event emerged almost a century later, as wars raged in the former Yugoslavia, starting in the early 1990s.
A truce during the 1994 Winter Games in Norway led to a pause in the siege of Sarajevo, allowing humanitarian convoys to deliver food and medicine to the residents of the Bosnian capital.
Six years later in Sydney, North and South Korea marched together at the opening ceremony.
In Ancient Greece, the truce was respected by warring city-states. It allowed athletes and spectators to travel safely to the Games in Ancient Olympia, an event of the highest sporting and spiritual significance.
UN resolutions on truces are usually adopted by an overwhelming majority and received all 193 votes for the 2012 London Games. However, signatories have repeatedly violated their own promises.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 notoriously began during a truce period.
Recall
IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated that Russian athletes will not be able to represent their country at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. They will only participate as individual athletes without a national flag or anthem.