Xinhua
United Nations, July 29 (Xinhua) President of the UN General Assembly Srgjan Kerim Monday appealed to member states to observe an Olympic Truce, a worldwide cessation of all hostilities, during the Beijing Olympic Games. “As President of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session, I solemnly appeal to all member states to demonstrate their commitment to the Olympic Truce for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games,” Kerim said in a statement.

“I urge the member states to undertake concrete actions at the local, national, regional and world levels to promote and strengthen a culture of peace and harmony based on the spirit of the truce,” he added.

In 1992, the International Olympic Committee had renewed the ancient Greek tradition of the ekecheiria (Olympic Truce), a hallowed principle of the games.

In 1993, the General Assembly adopted a resolution to urge member states to observe the Olympic Truce before the opening of each Olympic Game.

In October last year, the assembly adopted a resolution in connection with the forthcoming 29th Olympiad and the Paralympic Games to be held in Beijing, urging the member states to observe the Olympic Truce from Aug 8 to 24 and from Sep 6 to 17, 2008, respectively, based on the slogan “One World, One Dream”.
Xinhua