United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged countries around the world to stop armed conflict as part of the Olympic truce, with the Paris 2024 Olympics set to open later on Friday.
Guterres met International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and said the Games were a chance for peace.
“I want to express the total support of the United Nations to the IOC,” Guterres said. “We live in a divided world where conflicts are proliferating in a dramatic way.
“The horrendous suffering in Gaza, the seemingly endless war in Ukraine, terrible suffering from Sudan to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), from the Sahel to Myanmar.
“In a moment like this it is important to say that the first recorded, in history, real peace initiative was the Olympic truce.”
During the Olympics in ancient Greece all conflicts ceased for the duration of the Games to allow for the competitions to go ahead. (cyprus mail)
