New York, United States, December 16, 2019: An Olympic Truce will be observed during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. The Olympic Truce was supported by 186 out of 193 member countries at last week’s 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which adopted a resolution submitted by the President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, Yoshiro Mori, on behalf of the government of Japan and the Olympic Movement. The resolution underscored “building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”. Speaking to the General Assembly in New York, USA, following the adoption of the resolution, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach thanked the UN Member States for their support, saying the Olympic Truce will strengthen the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as a true symbol of peace for the world. “The Olympic Games are the only event today that bring the entire world together in peaceful competition,” Bach said. The IOC President continued: “In our fragile world, we see shared values and principles challenged in many ways, not only in the international community but also in sport. The IOC is fully committed to preserving and strengthening these values and principles of respect for the rule of law, solidarity and political neutrality. But our commitment is not enough. We depend on the support of you, the governments, for our mission and our neutrality.” Bach added: “This is why we are so grateful for your support for the Olympic Truce resolution. With this resolution, you are also supporting these values and principles that unite us. Let us demonstrate that our shared humanity is stronger than all the forces that want to divide us”. The consensus for the Olympic Truce resolution included the future hosts of the Olympic Games: China, France, the United States of America and Italy. The resolution calls for the Olympic Truce to be respected from seven days before the start of the Olympic Games in July 2020 until seven days after the Paralympic Games, and to use this opportunity to harness sport to foster and encourage concrete action that promotes dialogue during the Games and beyond. In his speech, President Mori said: “By making the impossible possible in sport, our hope is that wars will disappear from the globe forever, and not only during the Olympic Games.” The tradition of the Olympic Truce – Ekecheira – has been to ensure a halt of all hostilities, allowing the safe passage and participation of athletes and spectators taking part in the Olympic Games, akin to what happened over 3,000 years ago, when the ancient Olympic Games first took place in Greece. Source: IOC
Olympic Truce to come into effect during Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics
