Beijing 2022: UN Secretary-General calls for Olympic Truce to be observed

To mark the start of the Olympic Truce, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a message calling on everyone to observe the Olympic Truce during the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Olympic Truce came into force from Friday, seven days before the start of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, and will remain in effect until March 20, 2022, seven days after the end of the Paralympic Games.

"With conflict spreading & tensions rising, the Olympic Truce represents a chance to overcome differences & find paths towards lasting peace. I call on everyone to observe the Truce during the 2022 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games, and stop hostilities throughout their course," Guterres tweeted on Friday. A solemn appeal to the UN Member States for the observance of the Olympic Truce for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 was made by the President of the UN General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, earlier this month, following the resolution adopted in December 2021.

Entitled "Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic Ideal", the Olympic Truce Resolution was adopted by consensus of all 193 UN Member States and co-sponsored by 173 Member States at the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on December 2, 2021. It demonstrates the recognition by the UN's international community of the power of sport and the relevance of the Olympic Games to bring the world together in peaceful competition, providing hope for a better future.