Un States Sign Olympic Truce Resolution
In an unprecedented show of support for the Olympic Truce, all member states of the United Nations General Assembly have agreed to co-sponsor the Olympic Truce Resolution ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Olympic Truce Resolution attracted the most co-sponsoring states in the history of the UN, with all 193 member states co-sponsoring the Resolution.
The Truce Resolution was formally submitted to the General Assembly by British Olympic middle distance Olympic champion and Chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sebastian Coe, on behalf of the United Kingdom.
Introducing the text of the Truce Resolution to the UN General Assembly, Coe said the Resolution was grounded in the vision for the London 2012 Games to be a catalyst for long term positive change and to inspire young people.
The double Olympic 1500 metres gold medallist also delivered a message about the Truce from two young London Games supporters who attended the General Assembly meeting as members of the official UK delegation.
Coe told the Assembly that Amber Charles, 21, who delivered London’s official bid documents to the IOC in Lausanne in 2004, and Ali Mohamed, 18, who was voted the “Yong Mayor of Newham”, one of the London Olympic host boroughs, represented London’s vision of the Games and for the Truce, and had asked him to deliver a message on their behalf to the Assembly.
The message from the two young Londoners said: ‘The Truce helps to show the world that peace is a possibility. It shows the power that sport has to inspire unity, mutual understanding, and respect among different types of people…countries should feel an obligation to respect the Truce because it holds true to the idea that we can co-exist without the need for discrimination and fighting. It gives us something to strive towards outside of the Olympics and the arena of sport.’
Other members of the delegation included the British Ambassador to the United Nations, Sir Mark Lyall Grant, and the CEO of the London Olympic Games Organising Committee, Paul Deighton.
Henry Bellingham, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who is responsible for the UN and Conflict Resolution, said: ‘I’m delighted that the Resolution has been co-sponsored by every single one of the United Nations’ 193 member states. This astonishing level of agreement shows that the Olympic Truce is more relevant to more countries than ever before.’
‘No-one claims that conflict resolution is easy, but in line with the ideals of the Olympic Truce, we are committed to preventing and resolving conflict wherever we can in pursuit of long-term peace and stability around the world.’
The President of International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, commented: ‘The IOC and the UN share many common values — a belief in equality, respect for others, a commitment to fair play and the rule of law. Our missions overlap. Both the IOC and the UN exist to serve humankind. Both seek to foster harmony between nations and cultures. Both strive to create a more peaceful, prosperous and environmentally sustainable world.’
Through the text, the Assembly called on States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee in efforts to use sport to promote peace and reconciliation in conflict areas.
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