Volkan Bozkir, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, made a solemn appeal to the UN Member States on Friday for the observance of the Olympic Truce for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games following the resolution adopted in December 2019.
The resolution calls for the Olympic Truce to be respected from July 16 to September 12, 2021, which marks seven days prior to the beginning of the Olympic Games and seven days after the conclusion of the Paralympic Games.
The Olympic Truce, a tradition dating back to ancient Greece, has historically been announced before and after the Olympics to ensure the host city is not attacked and so athletes and spectators can travel safely to and from the Games.
“The resolution reaffirms that the Olympic values of peace, solidarity and respect are as important across the world today as they were over 3,000 years ago, when the ancient Olympic Games first took place in Greece,” the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in its press release.
The Truce has evolved over the years, with the International Olympic Truce Foundation being developed in 1999.
“The Olympic Movement aspires to contribute to a peaceful future for all humankind through the educational value of sport, in particular youth,” said Bozkir in the appeal.
“The Games will bring together athletes from all parts of the world in the greatest of international sports events as a means to promote peace, mutual understanding and goodwill among nations and peoples — goals that are also part of the founding values of the United Nations. For the second time, the IOC Refugee Olympic Team will participate under the Olympic flag in the Olympic Games in Tokyo, acting as a powerful symbol of inclusion and our shared humanity.”
IOC President Thomas Bach added: “The Olympic Games are the only event today that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. This is why we are so grateful to the UN Member States for their support of the Olympic Truce resolution.
“With this resolution, they are supporting the values and principles that unite us. In this Olympic spirit of universality, solidarity and peace, I invite you all to join hands and to celebrate our unity in all our diversity at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and beyond. Let us demonstrate together that our shared humanity is stronger than all the forces that want to divide us.”
But only for one country and only during sport. In other places, like Palestine, where the UN has defined its rights, those rights are ignored, for decades. Then things like 9/11 happen. The UN is a joke. It’s a front for unchecked global terrorism.
Yeah well , Palestinians did torture & murder Olympians in 72 . Golda Meir went after them with such a vengeance that even some relatives of the victims expressed concern .
I’ve never been able to see a clear path here. Wars eg 67& 73 have consequences & they got defeated.Palestinians lost more land .. No one is coming to help them .