UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will carry the Olympic torch on the final leg of its journey on Thursday 26 May. He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and take part in events to promote an 'Olympic Truce' between warring countries.
Ban has urged all those engaged in hostilities to respect the ideals of the Truce, which calls for people and nations everywhere to lay down their weapons during the Games. A resolution on observing the Truce has been tabled at the UN General Assembly ahead of every summer and winter Games since 1993 but the impact has been largely symbolic.
UNA-UK has been pushing for the Truce to be used as a starting point for conflict resolution and humanitarian initiatives, as well as longer-term support for the UN's peacekeeping and peacebuilding work. Click here to find out more about our campaign.
Speaking of the power of the Olympic ideal, Ban called on all 193 UN member states to do their utmost to adhere to the Truce and expressed hope that the torch of the Games in London will 'serve as a beacon of peace around the world'.
His full statement is below:
"The tradition of an Olympic Truce began in ancient times to allow safe passage for athletes travelling to the Games. This resulted in an environment where the true spirit of the Olympic Games was on display: peaceful competition among nations, feats of individual excellence.
Today, sports and events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games break down barriers by bringing together people from all around the world and all walks of life. The participants may carry the flags of many nations, but they come together under the shared banner of equality and fair play, understanding and mutual respect.
We give meaning to these values through the Olympic Truce, the call for warring parties everywhere to lay down their weapons during the Games. These pauses in fighting save lives. They help humanitarian workers reach people in need. And they open diplomatic space to negotiate lasting solutions.
The Olympic Truce – and more broadly the Olympic ideal -- carries a powerful message: that people and nations can set aside their differences and live and work together in harmony. And if they can do it for one day, or for one event, they can do it forever. This is the dream on which the United Nations is built, and the goal of our daily work.
I call on all those engaged in hostilities to respect the Truce – which has been endorsed by all 193 UN Member States. This is an uphill battle – but we must persist in proclaiming the Truce and do our utmost to win adherence to it. For these next few weeks, may the torch of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London serve as a beacon of peace around the world."
