UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay of Chiswick has written to the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office on the UN General Assembly resolution on an Olympic Truce, which the British government will be putting forward in the context of the 2012 Games in London.
The Olympic Truce is based on an ancient Greek tradition dating back to the 9th Century. All conflicts ceased seven days prior to the Olympic Games and finished seven days after the closing ceremony so that athletes, their relatives and pilgrims could travel safely. Since 1993, support for a modern Olympic Truce has grown at the UN, though the goal of a worldwide ceasefire remains sadly elusive.
In his letter, Lord Hannay expressed UNA-UK’s hope that in addition to the traditional sentiments expressed in the UN resolution, the UK would consider the inclusion of practical ways to improve the UN’s capacity for preventing conflict.
Click here to read the letter
