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HISTORY OF OLYMPIC TRUCE The Olympic Truce was the result of a United Nations Resolution – signed by 184 nations – calling for a truce in all wars during a period of seven days before the opening and seven days after the closing of the Games. The Truce is a revival of the traditional moratorium on armed conflict observed during the ancient Games. For the first time in modern Olympic history, flags with this Olympic Truce symbol were flown during the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games, and the warring factions in Sarajevo paused to observe the Truce. Created by Canadian graphic designer Wei Yew, the Olympic Truce is symbolized by a dove of peace against the traditional Olympic flame. The festive “effervescent” confetti making up the flame suggest celebration of the human spirit of all races. -Greg Durrell
Olympic Truce The tradition of the Olympic Truce dates back to the 9th century BC, in Ancient Greece. The idea of a truce symbolizes the spirit of the Ancient Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to revive this ancient concept in order to protect the interests of the athletes and sport in general. In 1992, the first initiatives were launched by the IOC, in collaboration with the United Nations, allowing athletes of the former Republic of Yugoslavia to participate in the Barcelona Games. In 2000, during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney Games, the South and North Korean delegations paraded in the stadium together under the flag of the Korean peninsula. In July 2000, the International Olympic Truce Foundation (IOTF) was created with a view to promoting peace through sport and the Olympic ideal.
The Olympic Truce A truce (in Greek, ekecheiria, which literally means "holding of hands") was announced before and during each of the Olympic festivals, to allow visitors to travel safely to Olympia. An inscription describing the truce was written on a bronze discus which was displayed at Olympia. During the truce, wars were suspended, armies were prohibited from entering Elis or threatening the Games, and legal disputes and the carrying out of death penalties were forbidden.
LOGO OF OLYMPIC TRUCE The official Olympic Truce logo is a graphic with three elements: a dove, flames, and the Olympic rings. The meaning behind the logo is as follows: The Olympic Truce is symbolized by the dove of peace with the traditional Olympic flame in the background. In a world that is plagued by wars and animosity, the peace-dove symbol represents one of the IOC's ideals to build a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal. In the symbol, the flame is made up of colourful effervescent elements, reminiscent of festivities experienced in the celebration of the human spirit. These elements represent people of all races coming together for the observance of the Truce.
GOALS OF OLYMPIC TRUCE Through this global and symbolic concept, the goal of the Olympic Truce movement is to: Mobilize youth for the promotion of the Olympic ideals Use sport to establish contacts between communities in conflict Offer humanitarian support in countries at war Create a window of opportunities for dialogue and reconciliation
OLYMPIC TRUCE - RELEVANCE TODAY • The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to revive the ancient concept of the Olympic Truce with the view to protecting, the interests of the athletes and sport in general, and to encourage searching for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to the conflicts around the world. • Through this global and symbolic concept, the IOC aims to : • mobilise youth for the promotion of the Olympic ideals; • use sport to establish contacts between communities in conflict; and • offer humanitarian support in countries at • war ; and • The IOC undertakings for the Olympic Truce extend beyond the period of the Olympic Games and have led to the implementation of a series of “sport for peace”
Sport alone cannot enforce or maintain peace. But it has a vital role to play in building a better and more peaceful world."
