UN supports Olympic truce

[hussein]

UN supports Olympic Truce

United Nations (CNN) -- The United Nations declared its support Monday for the traditional Olympic Truce ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, which begin Friday.

The truce calls for a global cessation of hostilities during the Games, which will take place in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The United Nations officially began observing the truce in 1994.

The Olympic Games "bring together athletes from all around the world ... to promote peace and mutual understanding and goodwill among all states," said Ali Abdussalam Treki, president of U.N. General Assembly.

However, there are questions regarding the effectiveness of the truce.

It may have produced a brief break in hostilities to allow humanitarian aid to reach the besieged city of Sarajevo in the Balkan wars in the early 1990s.

But during the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, the United States announced that its troops in Iraq would not be bound by the terms of the truce.

More recently, during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics fighting broke out between Russian and Georgian troops.

It is believed to be the first time that a conflict began on the opening day of the Games.

The Olympic Truce is an ancient Greek tradition that dates back to the 8th century. Its purpose was to provide a safe environment for athletes competing in the Olympic Games and spectators traveling to and from them.

This article was found at: UN supports Olympic Truce - CNN.com

Can the next Olympic Games aspire to the spirit of the Olympics in ancient times and bring about a temporary cessation in all global conflict?

Personally, I think that it is very unlikely, although it is a worthy thing to aspire to. Somehow I don't see insurgents laying down their arms in Iraq to sit down and watch the Olympics.

[cnredd]

Originally Posted by hussein

Can the next Olympic Games aspire to the spirit of the Olympics in ancient times and bring about a temporary cessation in all global conflict?

Personally, I think that it is very unlikely, although it is a worthy thing to aspire to. Somehow I don't see insurgents laying down their arms in Iraq to sit down and watch the Olympics.

The UN...United Naivete...

[MrLiberty]

I don't see how they are going to have much of an Olympics since there hasn't been any snow in Vancouver.

Snow no! 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver facing warm weather, lack of snow days ahead of games

I don't think Canada should be allowed to hold any of the winter Olympics games, if you all remember the last time was in Calgary in 88 and they didn't have much snow then either. My sister was there and at times it was 60 or 70 degrees outside!