United Nations adopts Olympic truce ahead of Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games

On Thursday the resolution of an Olympic truce for the upcoming Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York.

It is to last from seven days before the start of the Beijing Olympics on February 4, and continue through seven days after the end of the Paralympic Games on March 13.

The truce calls for “all Member States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in their efforts to use sport as a tool to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict during and beyond the period of the Games.”

IOC Thomas Bach was pleased with the adoption of the resolution.

“We very much welcome the great support for the Games by all UN Member States. It’s a great recognition of the mission of the Games to unite the best athletes of the world in peaceful competition,” said Bach.

The idea of an Olympic truce actually dates back centuries ago when the Ancient Greeks established a truce to allow the participation of athletes and spectators from all Greek city-states, who were in constant conflict with one another.

The resolution was co-sponsored by 173 of 193 UN Member states.