Appeal made by the President of the UN General Assembly for the observance of the Olympic Truce

 United Nations A/75/956 General Assembly 

Distr.: General 6 July 2021 Original: English 21-09307 (E) 070721 *2109307*

 Seventy-fifth session Agenda item 11 (b)

 Sport for development and peace: building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal 

Solemn appeal made by the President of the General Assembly on 6 July 2021 in connection with the observance of the Olympic Truce 

The President of the General Assembly has the honour to make the following solemn appeal in connection with the observance of the Olympic Truce:

 “The ancient Greek tradition of the ekecheira, or ‘Olympic Truce’, born in the eighth century B.C., serves as a hallowed principle of the Olympic Games. In 1992, the International Olympic Committee renewed this tradition by calling upon all nations to observe the Truce. “Through its resolution 48/11 of 25 October 1993, the General Assembly urged Member States to observe the Olympic Truce from the seventh day before the opening to the seventh day following the closing of each Olympic Games. 

This appeal was renewed in the Millennium Declaration. “In the 2005 World Summit Outcome, our leaders emphasized that ‘sports can foster peace and development’ and encouraged the General Assembly to foster a dialogue and agreed proposals for a plan of action on sport and development. 

“On 3 November 2005, the General Assembly held a plenary debate on the agenda item entitled ‘Sport for peace and development’ and also adopted, with universal support, resolution 60/8, entitled ‘Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal’, deciding to consider this item every two years in advance of each Summer and Winter Olympic Games. 

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development acknowledges sport as an important enabler of sustainable development, recognizing the growing contribution of sport to the realization of development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions that it makes to the Sustainable Development Goals, including the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities, as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives. 

“To this end, on 9 December 2019, the General Assembly adopted resolution 74/16. In that resolution, the Assembly urged Member States to observe the Olympic Truce individually and collectively, within the framework of the Charter of the United Nations, throughout the period from the seventh day before the start of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad until the seventh day following the end of the XVI Paralympic Games, to be held in Tokyo.A/75/956 2/2 21-09307 

“The Olympic movement aspires to contribute to a peaceful future for all humankind through the educational value of sport, in particular youth. 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 International Olympic Committee 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. 

“As an expression of these common objectives, the International Olympic Committee has decided to fly the United Nations flag at Olympic Park. The United Nations system and the International Olympic Committee have strengthened their mutual cooperation and support through joint endeavours in such fields as human development, poverty alleviation, humanitarian assistance, health promotion, HIV and AIDS prevention, child and youth education, gender equality, peacebuilding and sustainable development. 

“I welcome the leadership of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in promoting peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal, and the commitment made by various States Members of the United Nations to developing national and international programmes that promote peace and conflict resolution and the Olympic and Paralympic values through sport and through culture, education and sustainable development. 

“As President of the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session, I solemnly appeal to all Member States to demonstrate their commitment to the Olympic Truce for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 and to undertake concrete actions at the local, national, regional and world levels to promote and strengthen a culture of peace and harmony based on the spirit of the Truce. 

Referring to the original tradition of the Olympic Truce practised in ancient times, as described in resolution 74/16, I also call upon all warring parties of current armed conflicts around the world to boldly agree to true mutual ceasefires for the duration of the Olympic Truce, thus providing an opportunity to settle disputes peacefully.”