Lord Bates' Walk for Truce Initiative

In conjunction with the adoption of the Olympic Truce Resolution at the General Assembly, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met in Geneva with Lord Bates of Langbaurgh, who has engaged on a walk of over 3000 miles through seventeen countries, from Mt Olympus to London, in order to raise awareness of the Truce and advocate meaningful implementation.

Lord Bates' Visit

Mr. Ban praised Lord Bates' Walk for Truce initiative, which he described as “very noble work” and said was a very good contribution to raising awareness of the Truce.  It highlighted the fact that everyone has the possibility to make a personal contribution to peace.  Mr. Ban said that he hoped that London 2012 would provide great momentum to solving the many conflicts which face the world. 

The UN General Assembly unanimously co-sponsored and adopted a resolution on Monday 17 October 2011 entitled “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”.  Recalling the ancient Greek tradition of the Olympic Truce, the General Assembly invoked that spirit during its plenary meeting on the theme of “Sport for peace and development” by urging States to observe a cessation of hostilities throughout the 45-day period beginning with the start of the London Olympic Games on 27 July 2012 to the closing of the Paralympic Games on 9 September 2012.

Lord Sebastian Coe, double Olympic Gold medallist and Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee introduced the Resolution on behalf of the United Kingdom, stating: “It would be folly to suggest that sport provides a complete answer, a panacea for all our social ills. But it can and does help to mend broken communities, rebuild trust, rediscover self-respect, and foster the values at the core of our common humanity.”

Speaking in London, Henry Bellingham, Minister for Africa, the UN, Overseas Territories and Conflict Issues said: “The London 2012 Games present a fantastic opportunity to encourage people to use sport and culture to promote respect, peace and fair play within their own lives. London 2012’s international sports legacy programme, International Inspiration, and Get Set – the London 2012 education programme – are already supporting young people in the UK and around the world in promoting these ideals – and they are ideals which sit at the heart of the concept of the Olympic Truce.”

The events connected with Lord Bates’s visit to Geneva were organised in partnership with the UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace.  You can see more pictures at their flickr site and get additional information at their facebook page.