Just one month before the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis made a solemn appeal to UN member states to respect the Olympic Truce. He also called on all conflicts around the world to agree to “genuine mutual ceasefires” for the duration of the truce. Currently, there are 56 active wars or armed conflicts in the world, with Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Palestine being the most prominent in the Western world. Unfortunately, in this summer of Paris 2024, the world has reached the highest peak of conflicts since World War II.

The resolution for the observance of the Olympic Truce for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games was adopted by the UN in November last year, calling for the truce to be respected from seven days before the Olympic Games until seven days after the Paralympic Games.

UKRAINE’S AND RUSSIA’S ARGUMENTS FOR SAYING “NO”

In the midst of these statements and the appeal for peace made by the UN and Dennis Francis, Russia and Ukraine already announced about a month ago that they would not embrace the Olympic truce and rejected the appeal made by Emmanuel Macron on this issue.

Zelensky, the Ukrainian president has rejected this idea saying that it could help Russia to move its troops, he also revealed that he spoke to Macron to tell him personally that he did not support his idea. “First of all, we don’t trust Putin. We are against any truce that plays into the hands of the enemy… no one will be able to stop them.”

Putin has also been asked about the French president’s idea and he also rejected it. “I believe that these Olympic principles, including the Olympic truce are very correct but international sports leaders disobey the principles of the Olympic charter” commented Putin who also noted that sports bodies are not going to allow Russian athletes to compete with their flag and anthem.”

However, this is not the only armed conflict in the world today and peace is expected in most of them. There is the one mentioned by Israel with Palestine, but there are also others in Burma (Myanmar), Maghreb territories, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Syria, the war against drug trafficking in Mexico and other South American countries, insurgencies in different African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo… Thus up to a total of 92 countries involved beyond their borders, according to the study on global peace by the ‘Institute for Economics and Peace’.

“Promoting and strengthening a culture of peace”

“I solemnly appeal to all Member States to demonstrate their commitment to the Olympic Truce for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and to undertake concrete actions at the local, national, regional and global levels to promote and strengthen a culture of peace and harmony based on the spirit of the truce,” the President of the United Nations General Assembly pointed out this week, in contrast to the leaders of Ukraine and Russia and in a global missive.

In his appeal, Dennis Francis also highlighted the power of sport and the relevance of the Olympic Games in bringing the world together in peaceful competition. “The Games will bring together athletes from all parts of the world in the greatest of international sporting events as a means of promoting peace, mutual understanding and goodwill among nations and peoples, objectives that are also part of the founding values of the United Nations.”

He also noted positively that Paris 2024 will have an equal number of places for male and female athletes and emphasized the participation of the Refugee Olympic Team.

PARIS 2024: “UNIFYING EVENT”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach welcomed the UN appeal, while stressing the lasting importance of the Olympic truce.

“The IOC warmly welcomes the solemn appeal of the President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis,” he said.

“The Olympic Truce represents the very essence of what the Olympic Games stand for: peace, unity and the hope of building a better world. In these difficult times, when we all face so much confrontation, division and polarization, the Olympic Truce is more relevant than ever. And, as an event that unites the world in peaceful competition, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be a powerful reminder that we can all come together peacefully, even in times of war and crisis”.

ORIGIN OF THE OLYMPIC TRUCE

The tradition of the “Olympic Truce”, or “Ekecheiria”, was established in Ancient Greece to allow safe participation in the ancient Olympic Games for all athletes and spectators.

The IOC decided to revive the Olympic Truce concept for the Olympic Games, with a view to protecting, as far as possible, the interests of athletes and sport in general, and to harness the power of sport to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation more broadly.

Since 1993, the United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly expressed its support for the Olympic Truce ideal and the IOC’s mission by adopting, every two years – one year before each edition of the Olympic Games – a resolution entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”.