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Olympic Athletes Call for Peace from the Olympic Village: IOC President Bach Declares, “You are the Peace Ambassadors of Our Time”
Today, hundreds of Olympic athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Refugee Olympic Team united in a powerful call for peace. Just four days before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, these athletes gathered in the Olympic Village, donning scarves and holding flags emblazoned with the message “Give peace a chance.” This event was not only symbolic but also a poignant reminder of sport’s ability to foster peace and mutual understanding, evenamong athletes from countries currently in conflict.
IOC President Thomas Bach addressed the athletes, drawing on the legacy of Pierre de Coubertin, who revived the Olympic Games in Paris 130 years ago as a beacon of peace. Bach emphasized that today’s athletes are the modern-day ambassadors of peace. “You, the Olympic athletes, will show us how our world would be if we all lived in the same Olympic spirit of peaceful co-existence,” Bach stated. He highlighted the unique environment of the Olympic Village, where athletes from around the globe live together in harmony, respecting the same rules and each other, thereby sending a powerful message of peace to the world.
Beyond Olympic Village
President Bach urged athletes to extend their call for peace beyond the Olympic Village. “Please share this call for peace with all your fans, your family, and friends back home. In this way, our many voices will become one. This one voice will resound all around the globe. May this call inspire all the political leaders of the world to take action for peace,” he concluded.
The event also saw the inauguration of the Paris 2024 Olympic Truce Mural, attended by prominent figures including President Bach; Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee; Masomah Ali Zada, Chef de Mission for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team; Emma Terho, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission (AC); and the entire Executive Board of the IOC. Together with athletes from all five continents, they signed the mural, reinforcing their commitment to peace.
“In this Village, there is a symbol within the symbol: it’s the Olympic Truce Mural,” said President Tony Estanguet. “It is the place of gathering and encounters, the place of sharing and peace. It reminds us of the message as humble as it is crucial: the Games cannot change everything, but they can carry something very strong, with the strength of example. An example for peace, solidarity, progress. An example we value and need more than ever in those troubled times.”
Masomah Ali Zada, representing the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, spoke passionately about the significance of peace for displaced people. “We are representing the stories of over 120 million forcibly displaced people across the world. This team knows only too well the importance of peace. The athletes have told me their stories. They know from their own experience what it is like to flee from your home, to have your safety taken from you and have no choice left but to flee because of the ever-increasing number of wars and violence,” she said.
Ali Zada expressed hope and pride in the Refugee Olympic Team’s unity and the broader message they convey. “The team embodies what is possible – it brings people together from different countries, languages, and cultures. Yet we are here, in one team, under a unified flag, the Olympic flag, representing peace and respect. Together,” she noted. She concluded by inviting all Olympic athletes to join in the call for peace, hoping to extend their message from the Olympic Games to the world in the pursuit of lasting peace.
The Olympic Truce Mural: A Symbol of Peace
The Olympic Truce Mural, a feature in every Olympic Village since the Olympic Winter Games in Turin 2006, stands as a powerful symbol of sport’s ability to promote peace. Each mural, uniquely designed for the specific Games, collects the signatures of thousands of athletes, coaches, and officials, all pledging their support for the Olympic Truce and the values it represents: peace, respect, solidarity, inclusion, and equality.
The mural also serves as a visual representation of the United Nations’ Olympic Truce Resolution, which calls on all nations to observe a cessation of hostilities during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The resolution for the Paris 2024 Games, adopted by the UN in November 2023, underscores the Games’ role as a unifying event and highlights the leadership of athletes in promoting peace and human understanding.
Reviving an Ancient Tradition
The tradition of the “Olympic Truce,” or “Ekecheiria,” dates back to Ancient Greece, allowing safe passage for athletes and spectators to the ancient Olympic Games. The IOC revived this concept to protect the interests of athletes and harness the power of sport to promote broader peace, dialogue, and reconciliation.
Since 1993, the UN General Assembly has continuously supported the Olympic Truce, adopting resolutions every two years that align with the Olympic Games, thereby reaffirming the global commitment to building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal.
As the Olympic Games approach, the call for peace from the Olympic Village resonates strongly, reminding us all of the potential of sport to unite and inspire positive change in the world. The athletes, as peace ambassadors, carry forward this timeless message, urging global leaders and citizens alike to “Give Peace a Chance.”
Related Links
- International Olympic Committee
- International Olympic Committee Newsroom
- IOC Media | YouTube
- IOC Media | flickr
- IOC Media | X
- National Olympic Committees
- Refugee Olympic Team
- Mr Thomas Bach
- UN General Assembly adopts Olympic Truce for Paris 2024
- Olympic Truce