UK shares report on London 2012 Olympic Truce with Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Officials from the British Embassy Moscow have shared the UK's experience of promoting the Olympic Truce values during London 2012
Ahead of the adoption at the United Nations in New York of the Olympic Truce Resolution, ‘Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal’, officials from the British Embassy Moscow shared the UK’s experience of promoting the values of the Olympic Truce during London 2012 with the Department for Humanitarian Co-operation and Human Rights at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ancient 9th Century BC Greek tradition of Ekecheiria (“Olympic Truce”), called for a truce during the Olympic Games to encourage a peaceful environment and ensure safe passage and participation of athletes and relevant persons at the Games, thus mobilising the youth of the world in support of peace. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) revived the Truce in 1992 and the first United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution was passed. It is renewed every two years in advance of the summer and winter Games The report sets out the key elements of the London 2012 Olympic Truce national and international programme organised by London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), Her Majesty’s Government and civil society partners with the support of the International Olympic Committee, the United Nations and UN Member States. The objective of the report is to transfer the knowledge gained by the UK on the Olympic Truce year to the International Olympic Committee, and is designed to be used as a resource for future hosts of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The UK’s main aims when promoting the Olympic Truce was to promote peace and conflict resolution around the world through sport, culture, education and wider public participation while helping raise awareness of the Olympic Truce ideals.
In the United Kingdom, we promoted the Olympic Truce in several different ways: through education; the Cultural Olympiad; the Inspire Programme – Truce Inspire; the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies during London 2012; the London 2012 Olympic torch relay; and an Olympic Truce Wall.
We also promoted the Olympic Truce worldwide by developing an international program which strongly emphasised the bringing together of different communities at local level to celebrate common interest through sport, culture, education or academic participation. Practical activities emphasised the role of young people, women and those with disabilities in promoting peace.
You can read more about what the UK did to promote the Olympic Truce (including examples of activities throughout the world) here. We would like to wish the Russian Federation every success for the Sochi 2014 Winter Games and its Olympic Truce programme.
Last updated 7 November 2013 + show all updates
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