Today, hundreds of Olympic athletes representing all 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Refugee Olympic Team made a powerful call for peace.
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Four days before the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games, they gathered in the Olympic Village, wearing scarves and holding flags with the message “Give peace a chance.” This event, which included athletes from NOCs whose countries are currently in conflict, highlighted the role of sport in fostering peace and understanding.
IOC President Thomas Bach addressed the athletes, recalling the vision of Olympic founder Pierre de Coubertin. “You, the Olympic athletes, are the peace ambassadors of our time,” Bach said. “You compete fiercely yet live peacefully together, sending a resounding message of peace from Paris to the world.”
Bach urged athletes to share their call for peace with fans, family, and friends, hoping to inspire global political leaders to take action for peace. “Together we say: Give Peace a Chance!” he concluded.
The event also marked the inauguration of the Paris 2024 Olympic Truce Mural, attended by the IOC President, Paris 2024 Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet, Refugee Olympic Team Chef de Mission Masomah Ali Zada, and IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Emma Terho. Athletes from all five continents signed the mural, symbolizing their commitment to peace.
Estanguet emphasized the mural’s significance, saying, “The Games cannot change everything, but they can carry a strong example for peace, solidarity, and progress.” Ali Zada highlighted the Refugee Olympic Team’s unique perspective on the importance of peace, urging all Olympic athletes to join their call for global harmony.
The Olympic Truce Mural, a tradition since the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, symbolizes sport’s ability to promote peace. The UN’s Olympic Truce Resolution, adopted in November 2023, calls for a ceasefire from seven days before the Olympic Games until seven days after the Paralympic Games, reinforcing the unifying power of sport.
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